Gun owners in California can breathe a sigh of relief after a legislative proposal to tax guns and bullets in California has encountered a roadblock in the Legislature.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the bill is not expected to gather further momentum this year, according to a statement from its author on Friday.
California Assemblyman Marc Levine said he would renew his attempt to push the bill next year.
According to Levine, legislative leadership told him there is no appetite for a tax hike bill after Senator Josh Newman was recalled after his vote to raise the state’s gas tax.
Levine believes that there is a lack of political will for passing gun control in California, which he noted in the following statement:
The story is a lack of political will for action on reducing gun violence in California. The Senate had a learning moment with … the recall of Josh Newman and they are reticent to engage in any tax increases, even if it is for a common-sense measure such as taxing guns and bullets.
Gun Owners of California came out in opposition to this bill.
“The constitutionality of this bill is an obvious concern,” the Second Amendment group declared in a statement, which highlighted that a lawsuit on a similar proposal is possibly being considered by the Supreme Court.
For now, gun owners in California caught a break.
However, gun controllers are relentless and will look to renew their efforts during the next legislative session.
California is already one of the most anti-gun states in the nation, with Guns & Ammo magazine ranking it 46th in the nation for the best states for gun owners.
Passage of this bill would only cement California’s status as one of the most anti-gun states in the nation.
