The only research into this was the word of a gun and ammo seller? I mean, I can't imagine how THEY might be biased...
Here's the full text if you'd like to read it:
http://downloads.capta.org/leg/BallotMeasures/Prop63_FullText.pdf
This law went into effect 18 months ago, Jan 2018. The only part going into effect NOW, July 1, is background checks for ammunition purchases. The proposition covers a ton of things, all of them pretty reasonable in my mind:
1. You must report lost or stolen firearms within 5 days of when you discovered the theft, except if it's an antique.
2. This also applies to peace officers, marshals, and members of the military (reporting loss or theft).
3. Licensees (vendors) have a new posting they have to put on the wall. It's too long to repost here, but what's the harm, nobody reads those things anyway.
4. Some mechanisms for how background checks are done were modified. In particular, words that say the Justice Department "may" participate in the National Criminal Background Check System "if funding is available" were struck to say they actually have to do it now.
5. The next bit goes on at length about procedures to follow if the Justice Department, vendors, or others discover the potential customer is a criminal. There are also notification procedures to the customer about any rejections.
6. Starting July 1 2017 (two years ago) if they receive information you're a criminal, they'll now report IN to the national background check system. Before they would look you up, but you may or may not be reported if you robbed a bank. Now you will be.
7. New specifics on punishments for violating any of these laws, particularly large capacity magazine restrictions (the restrictions were already on the books, what's new is specifics on sentencing). Sell a gun to a known criminal you get 10 years. Own a large capacity magazine you get fined $100 (per mag, tho). Note that possession is also defined as a misdemeanor, not a felony, which is important. This also all went into effect two years ago.
8. Exceptions to some of the above for current and former law enforcement and military members, those holding special weapons permits, etc.
9. A ton of additional procedures for enforcing those things above.
10. A new rule that says if you sell ammunition you're considered an ammunition vendor whether you're licensed or not. Just legalese to let the rest of the rules apply to you even if you try to skirt the system. But it does mean private party sales are ruled out - if you want to resell ammo you have to do it like firearms now, through a FFL.
11. Ammo purchases must now be face to face at time of purchase or delivery.
12. A ton of exceptions for law enforcement and others for the above.
13. A big exception that you can buy just about anything at a licensed range as long as what you buy is kept on premises.
14. Another exception that lets you give ammo to your spouse, family member, domestic partner, etc.
15. Striking the word "handgun" from basically all previous ammunition laws (which California already had a bunch of) so now it's any ammo.
16. Specific allowances for selling ammo at gun shows, provided you are licensed.
17. A police officer can apparently hand you a bucket-o-bullets, assuming they wanted to.
18. Similar reporting-of-theft provisions for ammo that apply to firearms. Similar procedures for what to do next, and punishments if you don't.
19. Starting January 1 2019 you need an ammunition purchase authorization before you can buy ammo. They're valid for 4 years, and you lose it if you commit a felony or do some other bad things. To get one you need to be 18 or older, not already a criminal, and pay a fee (not specified but not to exceed $50, determined by the department). They do your background check and are required to respond within 30 days. If you're denied they need to provide the specific reasons.
20. Interestingly for a not-necessarily "shall issue" state, they "shall issue" you an ammunition purchase authorization if they can't determine within 30 days that you're a criminal or otherwise disqualified: "If the department is unable to ascertain the final disposition of the application within 30 days of the applicant’s submission, the department shall grant authorization to the applicant."
21. Renewal is also "shall renew".
22. Established a fund where that "up to $50" (but you know it'll be $50) gets deposited and what gets done with it. Then add provisions to sweep it into the General Fund which you know is what's really going to happen.
23. A ton of regs regarding licensing of ammunition vendors.
24. A ton of regs regarding seizure of firearms, most of which was already law on the books. They could always seize your firearms when you got arrested but now as of Jan 1 2018 they also specifically say they WILL. There are like 3 pages of procedures on this bit, how search warrants are obtained and executed, etc.
This goes on for a bit more but there's NOTHING in here further about ammunition. The word "caliber" does not appear a single time in the text. Nothing in this text refers to a security or smart ID. There is NOTHING on buying ammo of a caliber for a gun you don't own.
Just think through how silly that would be anyway. The proposition specifically says you can hand ammo to a family member, but the background check is done on you, not your whole family. There's no way for them to determine someone in your family does NOT have a firearm in that caliber, and you have the legal right to buy it and hand it to them, so it would be nonsense to write a rule that says you can't.
This is the law. If you live in California and own firearms you should read it, particularly before trusting somebody else's statements about what it means. The text is legalese, but pretty readable and understandable. Anything you hear that is not in the text is somebody's opinion and is not the law. A store can set whatever policy they want, but other stores don't have to follow it and it doesn't make it law.
You are either being lied to or misinformed. Just another little reminder that BOTH "sides" have an agenda, and neither one necessarily has your personal best interests in mind. Just because you like firearms as much as a firearms vendor doesn't mean they won't take advantage of a scare over a new law to try to boost their sales.
