Domestic Violence Gun Bill Gains

SACRAMENTO —  The Senate has passed, on 22-12 vote, and sent to the Assembly a bill that would require gun owners in certain domestic violence cases to relinquish their firearms, at least temporarily.

The bill by Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) would extend the current prohibition against buying a gun for the duration of a domestic violence restraining order to firearms already in possession of the person named in the order.

Hart said that under existing law people who are subject to protective orders issued in domestic violence cases cannot buy or receive firearms while the orders are in effect. However, the restriction does not apply to guns already in possession of the individual.

The bill would empower a court to apply the restriction to firearms owned by the individual if the judge found that further violent acts involving guns were likely. The guns could be ordered to be relinquished for the duration of the restraining order.