The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday on motions to increase regulations on the sale and possession of guns in L.A. County.
The measures include prohibiting the possession of firearms on county property such as parks, except for sworn law enforcement personnel. Another bans the sale of .50 caliber guns and ammunition in L.A. County and unincorporated areas.
Board chair Janice Hahn and supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath wrote the gun safety legislation in wake of the Monterey Park shooting on Jan. 21, KTLA reported.
“We know that blame for the gun violence epidemic lies with the failure of congressional leaders to pass even the most basic federal gun laws,” Hahn said in a statement following the vote. “Because they have not acted — we have found actions we can take at the county level to protect lives.”
One of the motions calls for the creation of an ordinance that would require a 1,000 feet buffer zone between gun stores and “child-sensitive areas” like schools.
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Similarly, the board calls for an ordinance that all privately owned firearms be kept under lock and key, and for gun owners to be required to have liability insurance.
NBC LA also reported on the board’s vote to explore the feasibility of a county gun database. The initial ordinances were drafted by county attorneys following a study requested by the board last year that sought to identify locally enforceable gun regulation measures.
In lobbying for federal and state legislation, the board called upon Senator Diane Feinstein to reinstate the 10-year national ban on assault rifles and forbid the sale of firearms and high-capacity magazines to those under 21.
“I intend to do whatever is possible to protect Los Angeles County residents, particularly following the tragedy in the First District community of Monterey Park,” Solis said in a statement after the vote. “Today, living in the United States of America means being at risk of becoming a victim of a mass shooting. To that end, time is of the essence.”
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