New Bill Aims to Reduce Bullets in Criminal's Hands

6/8/2008 Fresno, CA (KFSN) -- A bill is headed to the state Senate floor that would dramatically reduce the amount of ammunition gun vendors could sell.

The bill's designed to reduce the number of bullets that end up in criminals hands. But if this bill passes some believe it would make it harder for sport shooters to purchase ammunition.

17-year old twins Katherine and Allison Spolsdoff became competitive shooters after a basketball injury blew out their knees. During a week leading up to a competition, training with their father, the two can run through at least 600 rounds of ammunition a piece.

"It goes by so fast you don't even know you're like wow," says Allison.

"We go through 18-thousand rounds in one year," says the twins' father, James Spolsdoff.

But the twins may have to cut back on practice.

A bill monitoring the amount of ammunition sold by unlicensed vendors to just 50 rounds a month is headed to the California state Senate.

The bill's author, assembly member Kevin DeLeon, claims there's not enough regulation surrounding who sells and distributes ammunition. In a statement about this bill Deleon said "it's unbelievable that it's harder to buy a can of spray paint than a fistful of bullets."

Under the rules of the bill vendors must obtain a license from the state, require background checks of employees and keep track of people purchasing ammunition. Ron Sawl, Range Pistol Club Manager, says "It doesn't stop crime. It doesn't prevent crime. It's not even a deterrent."

Sawl says there's already laws designed to monitor hand guns-laws like 'Three-Strikes,' 'Use-a-Gun-go-to-Jail' and gun enhancement sentencing.

"All these are proven historically sound laws that do in fact have a deterrent effect on crime. This does not. This simply impedes the law-abiding," says Sawl.

But authors of the bill have amended it several times to only target criminals who might get their hands on these bullets. Assembly members say it's not designed to punish everyday law-abiding sports shooters.

Several Valley assembly members voted against this bill even though it passed. If it passes the Senate it would go into effect July 1, 2009.

Get more Local »

local, john-thomas kobos

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•