Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approves proposed gun ordinances
Los Angeles County leaders are taking aim at gun laws after recent mass shootings in California, including in Monterey Park.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a series of ordinances aimed at restricting gun sales and possession in unincorporated areas Tuesday morning. The measures include a ban on the sale of weapons and ammunition of .50-caliber or more, and a prohibition of most weapons on county property such as beaches and parks.
Officials want to tighten restrictions on ownership and sales, discussing methods to prevent mass shootings from mental health assessment to policing and sentencing to gun safety.
Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors met to consider proposed laws involving the sale and ownership of guns in unincorporated areas of the county. The supervisors unanimously approved the series of motions.
"The first bans the sale of .50-caliber guns and ammunition in unincorporated county. These are the giant bullets designed for combat that make killing easy because of the damage they do to the human body," said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn before Tuesday morning's meeting.
"Today, living in the United States of America means being at risk of becoming a victim of a mass shooting. Time is of the essence, and we must act now," said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis before the meeting.
Also part of the ordinances passed: Allowing only sworn officers and members of the military to carry firearms in certain county areas like beaches and parks; prohibiting people under 21 from going into gun showrooms; and putting into place more measures to monitor who's buying guns, like requiring videotape recordings of transactions.
Another measure passed: voice support for federal legislation putting stricter restrictions into place on assault weapons.
Among those present showing their support at Tuesday's meeting were Monterey Park Mayor Henry Lo; L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón; and Holly Francisco, assistant L.A. County sheriff of countywide operations, who said Sheriff Robert Luna is in Washington, D.C.
"I just want to say on behalf of the sheriff, he supports common sense gun laws and limiting access to firearms," said Francisco before the meeting. "He believes the status quo is not working, and that's evident by the amount of mass shootings occurring around the nation."
The Board of Supervisors recently declared gun violence a public health crisis in the county.
County supervisors did back most of the same measures last year, which were introduced after a study of gun safety measures that could legally be enacted locally, only affecting L.A. County.