A gambit by the California Department of Justice (DOJ)—which might violate California law—in implementing regulations on newly classified “Bullet Button Assault Weapons” has prompted the NRA and California Rifle and Pistol Association to issue “demand” letters calling on the DOJ to withdraw its regulations and, failing that, for the Office of Administrative Law to reject the DOJ’s regulations.
The core of the complaint is that even though California’s regular rulemaking process requires state agencies to provide at least 45 days for public comment on any regulation, the DOJ’s “bullet button” gun regulations were submitted as “File and Print” only—meaning no public comment allowed. In an attempt to further circumvent the will of the people, the regulations were submitted the day before Christmas Eve—for a law set to go into effect on New Year’s Day!
Worse still, the regulations DOJ submitted include over 40 new definitions; requiring gun owners to provide extensive and excessive personal information, as well as photos of their firearms; expanding the “assault weapon” definition to include many shotguns; and more. It sounds like a blank check for California gun control without legislative approval or even public input. Stay tuned.
