SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements following the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage of AB 1127 after a strong show of support from national and state organizations. The legislation would prohibit gun dealers from selling firearms that can be easily converted into fully automatic weapons through the simple installation of a Glock switch, which enables pistols to fire at a rate of up to 1,200 rounds per minute. The legislation would not apply to law enforcement nor would it impact current owners of these guns. AB 1127 now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.
“From labor unions to civil rights groups, organizations across the country and here in the Golden State are joining us in the fight to stop the spread of DIY machine guns,” said Shelley Hudson, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This legislative session has made one thing unmistakably clear: no one should be able to turn a pistol into a machine gun with nothing more than a 3D printer and a screwdriver. That kind of easy access to deadly firepower puts every community at risk. We urge lawmakers to join us in this fight and put California families first, and the gun industry last.”
Among the organizations joining Everytown, California Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action in support of AB 1127 are:
- California Medical Association
- United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP)
- Cities of Alameda, Goleta, Santa Rosa, and San Diego
- Asian American Christian Collaborative
- California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP
- Consumer Protection Policy Center
- Equality California
- Friends Committee on Legislation of California
- Brady Campaign
- Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
- GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
- Hispanic Federation
- Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Club
- Jewish Council for Public Affairs
- Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma
- Jewish Public Affairs Council of California
- Latino Victory Project
- March For Our Lives
- National Council of Jewish Women
- Newtown Action Alliance
- Prosecutors Alliance Action
- San Francisco City Attorney’s Office
- The Chamberlain Network
- Vet Voice Foundation
- Voices for Progress
- Over 40 faith leaders
Adding to the statewide support, Yesterday the San Diego City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution endorsing the language of AB 1127 and pushing Sacramento leaders to pass the life-saving legislation into law.
Machine guns are prohibited under California state law. But because the gun industry has chosen to put profits over public safety, firearms that can be easily converted into machine guns through the use of a “switch” are readily available. AB 1127 bans the retail sale of weapons that can be easily modified into DIY machine guns in an effort to prevent these deadly weapons from continuing to flood our streets.
The bill will have an important impact on public safety but only a small impact on how many types of handguns are available on the retail market: the majority of pistols available for sale in California, including by some of the largest manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Taurus, and others don’t have this problem and would continue to be sold across the state. If the manufacturers impacted by the bill decide to fix the dangerous design that allows their guns to be easily converted into machine guns, they can resume selling in California as long as they comply with other existing laws. The bill exempts future sales to law enforcement and the military for use in official duties.
More information about the gun safety laws championed by Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers in California is available here. Statistics about gun violence in California are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Navigator – which shows how California’s gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here.
To speak with a policy expert at Everytown or a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action or Student Demand Action, please reach out to [email protected].