SB798 is dead! For now...

[IconarmsDealer]

SAVE AIRSOFT!

Dear Airsoft Enthusiast,



Our beloved hobby is once again under attack by politicians who have an incomplete understanding of the laws and regulations under which our hobby exist. California SB 798 was crafted as a kneejerk reaction to a tragic incident where a teenager was shot by a law enforcement officer after DELIBERATELY POINTING a "BB gun" at the officer...in the dark of night!



While we all recognize the utter stupidity of this action and agree with its Darwinistic ramifications, our wise lawmakers are seeking to protect the rest of us innocents by banning the sale, purchase, and commercial transaction of airsoft guns and other BB devices in the state of California unless the device is brightly colored in its entirety. Surely such coloration would have prevented this aforementioned incident in pitch black darkness...don't you think? No?



Even without considering the unfair punishment of hundreds of thousands of responsible and legal Airsoft gun owners in California in response to the actions of one stupid individual (I refuse to call him a "victim" as we are so wont to do these days...the victim is that poor policeman who had to use his gun in the line of duty), what is to prevent real dirtbags from coloring their real guns "brightly" in the commission of a crime so law enforcement officers will hesitate a split second, allowing said dirtbag to get off the first shot?



There are plenty of laws on the books regulating the sale and use of Airsoft guns, both federally and on the state level. These existing laws are specifically designed to make sure the user of the an Airsoft gun or other BB device treats their Airsoft gun exactly as if it were a real gun. To make Airsoft guns "brightly colored" is a major step backwards in terms of consumer protection, public safety, and law enforcement!



Below, you will find the following documents:

1) A document sent by Crosman Corporation to the California state Senator who sponsored SB 798,

2) A document sent to the Senator from SoftAir USA,

3) A petition letter for you to sign and mail or fax to Senator de Leon.


Letter from Crosman to Senator de Leon (PDF Format) Letter from SoftAir USA to Senator de Leon (PDF Format) Petition Letter to Sign and Mail or Fax (Word Docx Format)

Please read these documents carefully as they will fully inform you of the circumstances surrounding this issue and the implications of this ill-considered legislation.



Voice your opposition to this bill by calling or writing to your local State Senator and assemblyman and the bill sponsor, State Senator Kevin de Leon:


List of California State Senators:
http://senate.ca.gov/senators?order=fie ... e&sort=asc


State Senate District Zip Code Directory:
http://senate.ca.gov/sites/senate.ca.go ... _ORDER.PDF


Contact information for State Senator Kevin de Leon (bill sponsor)


Sacramento Office:
Sentaor Kevin de Leon
California State Capitol
Room 5108
Sacramento, CA 94248
916-651-4022


Los Angeles Office:
Senator Kevin de Leon
617 S. Olive St.
Suite 710
Los Angeles, CA 90014
213-612-9566





YOUR

[SinfulPain]

And what's even more stupid? The law doesn't apply to cap guns, realistic looking paintball guns (they do exist, for those of you who don't know), or any other "toy" gun.

I agree with you about the brightly-colored crap. They already sell hot pink guns in real-steel, so what's going to stop people with criminal intents from doing it themselves?

~Brian

[RamboReserekted]

I really hope we can overturn that!!! I know a lot of people who airsoft in Cali and know they won't stand for it... but the problem is too many voters have no idea what their doing, they just think "oh that's sounds aweful, I'm voting against that!" and what doesn't effect them effects everyone else... California is just so stupid with all their laws!

[The Honey Badger]

Since THK made a second thread I will post my view...

Sadly, California will pass the bill. There is enough anti-gunners and idiots in the California legislature to pass it with ease. Most likely it will simply make it impossible to buy a new airsoft gun not in Hot Pink, but not to own it, and modify it.

I pulled this from Dr. Airsoft:

California SB 798

California Senate Bill 798 was introduced by Senator Kevin de Leonhttp://sd22.senate.ca.gov/ and passed the Senate Public Safety Committee by a 3 to 2 vote on March 26. This bill, if passed, would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transportation, receipt, or distribution of imitation firearms for commercial purposes" unless "the entire exterior surface of the device is white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink, or bright purple, either singly or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern, as provided by federal regulations governing imitation firearms, or where the entire device is constructed of transparent or translucent materials which permits unmistakable observation of the device's complete contents, as provided by federal regulations governing imitation firearms."

That simply means that California distributors and retailers for commercial purposes MAY NOT buy, sale, nor import an airsoft gun unless "the entire exterior surface of the device is white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink, or bright purple, either singly or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern, This does not mean the end user, cannot sale, manufacture, transport, receive, or distribute airsoft guns. This type of law cannot go retroactive either, and you could still buy that AK47 with the HOT PINK either singly or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern stocks and get aftermarket stocks made of, gasp, walnut wood!

What it will truly mean is that Airsoft GI, EVIKE and others will have to leave California and take up residence in less stupid states, such as Texas. Airsoft manufacturers, including high end ones like Classic Army already furniture airsoft guns in bright colors for the European markets. This will fit the language of the bill. You have to buy guns in Scotland with bright colored stocks now, and put on aftermarket ones, if you want, to go play there. Ireland has obnoxious FPS regulations, but that does not stop owners from upgrading.

In the end we will only suffer in the wallet. We will buy our predominately pink stocked guns and either sand them down and paint them or buy aftermarket furniture and re-stock them. This type of law will only make it more expensive on us, the Mil Sim-er, and kids will still be killed in the dark by law enforcement officers, who simply see the out line of a firearm.

I have said my piece. Don't think for a second that I like or condone the knee jerk bull shit that is California, Arizona is almost as bad. But they are gonna do what they want to do and we aint gonna stop them. We, here in Arizona are not their constituents and they will turn a blind eye to us. I commend EVIKE on the PSA for support but I don't think a California senator will even read email from and Arizonan. I do urge you all to send that asshole and any other asshole an email that will listen, as I already have. Please do not quote me to give them ammo so they can cover the loopholes, especially those that can't keep a secret, keep your trap shut. If you feel the need to open that cake gobbler, tell me your secrets, I promise not to tell anyone.

WAR (some people like peace, i like it bloody)

Trent

[ultimentra]

God I hate CA.

[IconarmsDealer]

God I hate CA.

Funny. In CA you can walk down the street, Buy weed(legaly), heroin, cocain and meth, but cant buy a gun! All hail The Peoples Republic Of California!

But to stay on topic Please drop a line to your Congressmen and reps. This is a great sport/ Hobby, id hate to see it go the way of the wind.

[Smoothcat]

No suprise coming from California.

[Savage]

I learned this morning, that A certain Governator is funding, and starring in his own cartoon, as a robot assassin politician.

Seriously. Not kidding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhEjXYvS08w
I am totally cereal, you guyz.

God, I hate California. I wish it'd hurry up and fall into the ocean. It's a cancer as bad as New Jersey.

[Crono0001]

I learned this morning, that A certain Governator is funding, and starring in his own cartoon, as a robot assassin politician.

Seriously. Not kidding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhEjXYvS08w
I am totally cereal, you guyz.

God, I hate California. I wish it'd hurry up and fall into the ocean. It's a cancer as bad as New Jersey.

that cartoon will be awesome
no joke

[yellow_fever]

So I'm sorry to revive a dead thread, but, as if we needed another thing to wedge itself between us and paintballers, paintball guns were removed from SB 798. And on top of that, the paintball industry now generally supports the bill.

California, please, if you're going to get rid of something, at least TRY not to be hypocritical about it. Geez.