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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 01161996 - SD6 . - Contra TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Costa FROM: Supervisor Tom Torlakson County DATE: Introduced on January 9, 1996 for action on January 16, 1996 SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, TO SEND A LETTER TO OUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES OPPOSING THE REPEAL OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION BANNING MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDED ACTION: Request ,that the Chair of the Board of Supervisors be given authorization to send letters to our Federal Representatives opposing any effort to repeal the current ban on military style assault weapons. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Following the January 1989 assault rifle incident that occurred in Stockton that resulted in injury to twenty-nine persons and the death of five children, I introduced a personal item requesting that the Board of Supervisors contact our federal and state legislators urging a ban on military style assault weapons. The Board unanimously supported this action. A federal ban on assault weapons was enacted in 1994. There is a current movement in Congress to repeal that ban. Senator Dianne Feinstein has written a letter requesting our help and support in opposing any effort to repeal this ban. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: / ram �- '��y,,��✓1��► RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE($) ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED: ✓ OTHER: HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED PH BATCHELOR,CLERKOF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: BY DEPUTY UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN- e c. CA�c ' V •* REi,E1VED c DIANNE FEINSTEIN E , U 1,7 Q5 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ' CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION united.�tate� senate _ -: WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0504 - December 11, 1995 The Honorable Thomas Toriakson Board of Supervisors " Contra Costa County 651 Pine Street, 11th Floor Martinez, California 94553 Dear Supervisor Toriakson: House Speaker Newt Gingrich promised the National Rifle Association that a vote to reneal Federal legislation banning military-style assault weapons would be held before the end of this year. Speaker Gingrich's office this week confirmed that he intends to make good on that promise. It seems opponents of the ban are hoping to sneak a repeal through the House of Representatives in the rush to finish business before the Christmas holiday. I need your help to prevent a repeal effort from succeeding. At the time of this writing, we do not know exactly when or if a vote will take place. But we do know that the NRA and their supporters in Congress have enough votes to repeal the assault weapon ban -- at least in the House. I believe there is enough support in the Senate to defeat a repeal effort, and procedural rules in the Senate give us a strategic advantage to block a vote if necessary. As I have said before, I will launch the mother of all filibusters if this issue comes to the Senate floor. And President Clinton has vowed to veto any legislation that contains a repeal of the assault weapons-ban if it reaches his desk. Your support is critical to preserving the.ban and working to get these guns off.,our streets once and for all. We must be vigilant, vocal and voting if we are to succeed. There are many ways in which you can help. But first, let me update you on how serious the problem still is. Assault Weapons- The "Weapon of Choice"for Gangs and Drug Deale= Police across the country report that semi-automatic assault weapons have become the "weapon of choice" for drug dealers, street gangs and paramilitary extremist groups, according to a survey of law enforcement recently conducted by Handgun_Control, Inc. A study of prison inmates in four states conducted by the National Institute of Justice also revealed that 35% of the inmates reported owning a "military-style automatic or semi-automatic rifle," and 53% of inmates affiliated with gangs reported owning a "military-style" weapon. Millions of Assault Weapons Still on the Streets-A Major Threat to Law Enforcement The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimates that there are 2 million military-style assault . weapons still on our streets today. Manufacturers of the weapons banned by Federal law in 1994 rushed to stock their shelves before the ban went into effect, and this glut in the market will exist for years to come. PREPARED, PUBLISHED, AND MAILED AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE. Officer James Guelff, from my hometown of San Francisco was one of them. Officer Guelff faced a deranged man wearing body armor carrying 5 weapons, including a 9 millimeter Uzi,a semi-automatic assault rifle,and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Officer Guelff was killed while he was trying to re-load his police issue-revolver. According to the FBI, in 1994 and 1995 approximately one-third of the fatal shootings of law enforcement officers involved firearms or guns sold with high-capacity magazines that were affected by the Crime Bill. Strong Public Support for Assault Weapons Ban Polls continue to'show strong public support for the ban on assault weapons. A recent Los Angeles Times national poll indicated that 72%of the American people support maintaining the Federal ban on rapid-fire assault weapons. This strong'support is the reason why, if Congressional opponents of the ban want to vote on a repeal,they may try to do so quickly and quietly so as not to allow time for the public to react. This is where I need your help. As a community leader, your public support is critical. There are a number of ways you can help in the effort to maintain the ban on assault weapons: • Contact your Representative in Congress immediately. Tell him or her that you do not support repealing the ban and that you will be watching for their vote. Document your support in a written letter to your Representative and send me a copy. • Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper. Letters to the editor is the most widely-read section of the newspaper--help us get the word out to the public. • Ask your friends& colleagues to contact their Representative as well. • Membership mailings. If you are a member of an organization or association, send an alert out to your membership list or include it in an upcoming newsletter. • Hold a news conference in your local area with friends,neighbors, local elected officials or the families of victims, to show support for maintaining the ban. We won a major victory last year when the ban on assault weapons was signed into law. We must work twice as hard and be ever-vigilant if we are to hold onto that victory. Now is the time to be visible and vocal in your support. If you need any further information, please contact my Washington office at(202)224-3841 or my state office at(415) 536-6868. Thank you for all your help. Together we can make the difference. Sinc �ely Yours, ianne Feinstein United States Senator DF:spk SUPERVISORS re• BOARD OF SU!' Cwtra toms Supervisor Tom Torlakson Casty Vrert January 24, 1989 Cou' "J Sba-AMOMATIC WEAPONS 09CIFic ItiOUIEST(S) AR RECOMM:NDATION(S) 0 BACKGROUND ANO JUSTiriCAT'ION AMO: 0equest the County Administrator to writes .a letter in behalfo the 13oard strongly urging our. 'lesgi,slative delegation to Support a ban on semi-automatic weapons. +Qec�aotn ► rrMv T110M The erase with which an individual can purchase the type o assau t weapon that was used to kill five school children In Stockton is startling and absolutely aappaXling. Buyert must merely align a form and if they indicate they are not Mentally. i llp a felon, a fugitive, an illegal alien, or a drug 49er and Are at least 18 years old, they can buy the gun and acquire it that same day. Purchasing a' handgun requires a 15-day waiting period. It is incredible that these semi-automatio assault weapons Can be so eeasily acquiied. I can soe no normal' or social purpose for the averags cititon Owning one of these weapons. most police : representa- tive i feel the same way. Police Officers erre certainly xt. risk when they come up against drug dealers armed with this kind of .fire power. A ban on Berri-automatic weapons wquld not necessarily have prevented the Stockton disaster near would it stop drug dealers from obtaining these weatpons t but 1 believe it would be a logip.41 step in gun Control that has the potential of reducing the numbez ;.of deaths of Civilians and police: offiders by those individuals who wo4ld use the: rapid fire power against society. WrINUZO ON AIT'ACHMCNTI YES $14NA?Uftal .... RiCdMM6N0A't1ON OF .COUNTY A014I1418TRATOR ,..,... MCCOMMCNAATION or ROA)!i. COMiMITTStf: ,_._, A�t11GVK OTHI[R 'GK 1'LtttRtil) , A :tiON O�rOARtq ON —3 a.n u_a ryY 24 , AI"PROVK0 AS ItKCOMM*NbK0 OTM[MI APPROVED as recommended. As recommended by Supervisor Powers , the Board REQUESTED the Sheriff to report on investigative procedures in place, including a recommendation for a more intensive screening process , directed toward individuals purchasing semi -automatic weapons . )TE or surzf:VRaoms �.. UNAMMOVS (ANSZ,NT - } I HSI EDY CKPRTIFY THAT THIS RD A TRUE AYX8s AND CORRACT COPY GF AN AGTi.,iN TAKKN ASSCNTo ABSTAINt AND 4NTCR60 ON THE M1NUT96 ,9F TMX 60ARID OF SUP+MRtVRSORS ON THC DATC *MOWN. CR County Administrator A-rTSSTSD .. Jan.uar.y 24 ,. 19.89 Sheriff-Coroner Phil CaEcheior, Clerk of tie Board of Su�ervlsor3 and CauntY Ad�istratw Jk o,ardscal' , o -q 11rr�Yxtso� y �PM:_ �y�.. krC -.r jY The Contra .Costa ,ounty'Boato of Supervisors' -_Tuesday called'for limits;'onssales)of•AK147`,assault s:rifles'like.that used by a,26-year-;old dnfteryhQ . ' killed five children and u d 29 ersta aiStock ton schoolyard. ; t in�;,x r� g .: The board unanimously;passed..Supernsor Tom. t Torlakson s.motion to"cask the countys,represeata { fives in Congress�and int'the: tatejI:egislature to sup- por Aaws``,banning thesale`of the'semiautomatic. ._weapons ordinary citizens a'yE1r Torlaksonhsaid'it`isTingongruous�thiiV ere s a. 15-day waiting period tofbuyihandggtt►► but no avart 1 Ing pepod toibuyythe attack nfles l t He said•a person,can:=quahfy'ko buy.onea of;ahe t rifles by filling out;a,fQtzn stahng,.that the buyer'is�'.I t nota felon',a drug user, an_illegal;-alien or a mental L� � 1 ly;disturbed individual t s ;The board5supportedt Supervisor Tom,Powers' motion-Ito ask the?;couty.shenffto make�'sure;the: ;existing requirement,of=.filling outaheIonns is"being enforced and to .10'0 ook mtgsthe possibility of usmg;tlie . YYPcompleted formsao'dq,a?thorough',.heck:on th y .ers of semiautomatic rifles. S w . �, Torlakson said he had discussedhe idea o-Ulaws'. banning the weapons ata`meeting Ahe,:legislative,3 1,.committee-of.the'Assg6iationAof'Bay!Area;Govern << rents which lans to utt the matter on its agenda ,: -,r- (� rn .-w t G d 'y ' to In r L' ^t" air+v;►�• D.�+' o=�f� r jai E-10 El a. t In FO ■� "b � ' bbpCr taroC , 1 V