IX. WEAPONS
Chapter 9.45
REGULATIONS FOR FIREARM SALES
Sections:
9.45.020 “Saturday night special” roster.
9.45.040 Sales of “Saturday night specials” prohibited.
9.45.060 Trigger lock or other safety device requirement.
9.45.010 Definitions.
The following definitions govern the construction of this chapter:
A. “Firearm” means any device, designed to be used as a weapon or modified to be used as a weapon, that expels a projectile by the force of an explosion or other form of combustion.
B. “Firearm ammunition” means any cartridge or encasement, bullet or projectile, primer or propellant or explosive material used in the manufacture of ammunition.
C. “Firearm ammunition component” means any cartridge or encasement, bullet or projectile, primer or propellant or explosive material used in the manufacture of ammunition.
D. “Firearms dealer” means any person, firm, association, partnership, corporation, or other entity which engages in, conducts, or carries on the business of selling, dealing in, trading, or transferring any firearms.
E. “Saturday night special” means any of the following:
1. A pistol, revolver, or firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, as those terms are defined in California Penal Code Section 12001(a), which contains a frame, barrel, breech block, cylinder or slide that is not completely fabricated of heat treated carbon steel, forged alloy, or other material of equal or higher tensile strength;
2. A semi-automatic pistol which:
a. Is not originally equipped by the manufacturer with a locked-breech action, and
b. Is chambered for cartridges developing maximum permissible breech pressures above twenty-four thousand one hundred copper units of pressure as standardized by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute,
c. For purposes of this subsection (E)(2), “semi-automatic pistol” means a firearm, as defined in California Penal Code Section 12001(b), which is designed to be held and fired with one hand, and which does the following upon discharge: (i) fires the cartridge in the chamber; (ii) ejects the fired cartridge case; and (iii) loads a cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. “Semi-automatic pistol” shall not include any assault weapon designated in California Penal Code Section 12276;
3. A pistol, revolver, or firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, as those terms are defined in California Penal Code Section 12001(a), which:
a. Uses an action mechanism which is substantially identical in design to any action mechanism manufactured in or before 1898 that was originally chambered for rim fire ammunition developing maximum permissible breech pressures below nineteen thousand copper units of pressure as standardized by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, and
b. Is chambered to fire either center fire ammunition or rim fire ammunition developing maximum permissible breech pressures above nineteen thousand copper units of pressure as standardized by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, and
c. Is not originally equipped by the manufacturer with a nondetachable safety guard surrounding the trigger, or
d. If rim fire, is equipped with a barrel of less than twenty bore diameters in overall length protruding from the frame,
e. For the purpose of this subsection (E)(3), “action mechanism” means the mechanism of a firearm by which it is loaded, locked, fired and unloaded;
4. “Saturday night special” does not include any of the following:
a. Any pistol which is an antique or relic firearm or other weapon falling within the specifications of paragraph (5), (7) or (8.) of subsection (b) of California Penal Code Section 12020, or
b. Any pistol for which the propelling force is classified as pneumatic, that is, of, or related to, compressed air or any other gases not directly produced by combustion, or
c. Children’s pop guns or toys, or
d. An “unconventional pistol” as defined in California Penal Code Section 12020(c)(12), or
e. Any pistol which has been modified to either render it permanently inoperable or permanently make it a device no longer classified as a “Saturday night special” under the terms of this chapter. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.020 “Saturday night special” roster.
On or before July 1, 1997, the chief of police or his/her designee shall compile and thereafter maintain a roster of Saturday night specials as defined within the terms of this chapter. The roster shall list those firearms, by manufacturer and model number, which the chief of police or his designee determines to fit the definition of Saturday night special set forth in Section 9.45.010. This roster shall be reviewed annually by the chief of police or his/her designee to determine which firearms should be added to or deleted from the roster. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.030 Publication.
The chief of police or his/her designee shall publish the roster of Saturday night specials on a semi-annual basis and shall send a copy of the roster to every dealer within the city who is licensed to sell and transfer firearms pursuant to Section 12071 of the Penal Code of the state of California. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.040 Sales of “Saturday night specials” prohibited.
No wholesale or retail firearms dealer within the city shall sell, offer or display for sale, give, lend, lease, or transfer ownership of, any “Saturday night special.” (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.050 Exemptions.
Nothing in this chapter relative to the sale of “Saturday night specials” shall prohibit the disposition of any firearm by police officers, sheriffs, marshals, or other duly appointed peace officers in the performance of their official duties, nor to persons who are authorized by the United States Government for use in the performance of their official duties; nor shall anything in this chapter prohibit the use of any firearm by the abovementioned persons in the performance of their official duties. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.060 Trigger lock or other safety device requirement.
The licensee shall not sell, lease or otherwise transfer a firearm without also selling or otherwise providing with each firearm a trigger lock, locking hard case, locking gun cabinet, safe, or such other device that is designed to prevent the unintentional discharge of the firearm. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).
9.45.070 Penalties.
Any person or entity, whether as principal, agent, or otherwise, violating or causing or permitting the violation of this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon conviction, the person convicted shall be punished in accordance with Chapter 1.16 of this code. (Ord. 4-97 §1(part), 1997).