Sacramento, CA…Governor Gavin Newsom today heralded the implementation of Proposition 63 gun-safety reforms. Approved by California voters in 2016, Proposition 63 is a package of provisions to keep guns and ammunition out of the wrong hands, including first-in-the-nation required point-of-sale background checks for the purchase of ammunition.

“Gun violence is an American epidemic, and California is again on the front lines of combatting it,” said Governor Newsom. “Proposition 63 is proof of what we can accomplish when we stand up together and show the NRA that our children’s lives are more important than their profits. California will continue to lead the way when it comes to sensible policies that protect our families and communities from gun violence.”

“Requiring eligibility checks for gun and ammunition purchases is not only common sense, it works,” said Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “Enforcing Prop 63 will help us keep ammunition away from dangerous, prohibited individuals who have no business owning firearms or ammunition. California will continue to lead when it comes to reducing gun violence and keeping our communities safe.”

“Gun violence and trauma have a profound effect on our communities, activating our fight or flight response and increasing the risk of toxic stress,” said Surgeon Genera​l Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. “Exposure to violence, especially during the critical developmental years of childhood, has long-term negative health impacts on our communities, increasing the risk of stress-related disease and cognitive impairment. Any step we take to reduce gun violence will reduce trauma and toxic stress in our communities, helping to change the odds and transform outcomes for the next generation of Californians.”

Proposition 63 was designed to restrict dangerous individuals with violent histories from accessing firearms and ammunition. Specifically, Proposition 63:

Outlawed the possession of high-capacity magazines in California, a common accessory used in nearly all mass shootings;

Created a system for relinquishing firearms from former felons who are prohibited by law from owning them;

Clarified that gun theft carries felony charges;

Required people and businesses to report lost or stolen guns, to assist law enforcement with illegal firearms trafficking;

Required background checks for ammunition purchases; and

Required internet sales of ammunition to be conducted through a licensed vendor.

While the majority of these policies will be in effect on July 1, the ban on high-capacity magazines is currently in litigation in the Ninth Circuit.

Governor Newsom has prioritized spending for gun violence prevention programs in his budget. He has proposed triple funding for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, which funds support services such as community education, diversion programs, outreach to at-risk transitional age youth and violence reduction models. He also proposed long-term funding for a Firearm Violence Research Center at UC, Davis to circumvent NRA-backed federal limits on research.

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