California lawmakers to hear testimony on state’s gun laws

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Looking at possibly tightening the state’s gun and ammunition laws, California lawmakers will hold a special hearing in Sacramento next week to review the state’s firearms policies and its history of gun violence.

The special joint hearing of the Assembly and Senate Public Safety committees comes as President Obama is pushing for federal restrictions on certain types of weapons. Many of those guns are already illegal in California, which has among the toughest gun laws of any state in the nation.

In the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December, many California lawmakers have already introduced bills in this state urging further restrictions on access to various weapons and ammunition.

Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) has introduced a bill that would require anyone who wants to buy ammunition to first obtain a permit and undergo a background check.

Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) is pushing legislation that would require gun owners to reregister their weapons annually and limit devices that allow for faster reloading of semiautomatic weapons.

Gov. Jerry Brown has in recent weeks avoided questions when asked about whether the state should have tougher gun restrictions.

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--Anthony York in Sacramento