For those of you who might not have seen this story.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Gov. signs gun bills opposed by NRA
Los Angeles Times (CA)
Metro Desk; B 1
October 14, 2007
Byline: Patrick McGreevy; Staff Writer
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la me bills14oct14,1,3575703.story?coll=la headlines california
* Legislation making it easier for police to trace bullets and banning lead ammo in condor habitat becomes law.
SACRAMENTO Bucking pressure from the gun lobby, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an unprecedented law Saturday requiring that certain pistols sold in the state be equipped to mark each cartridge when fired so police can more easily trace the weapons.
Another signed measure also opposed by the interest group will ban the use of lead ammunition in the habitat of the endangered California condor.
During a busy day in which he signed 101 bills and vetoed 58, the governor rejected a proposal that would have allowed illegal immigrants to qualify for college tuition aid currently enjoyed by other state residents.
Schwarzenegger also took action on several bills passed by the Legislature dealing with food and consumer products:
* He signed into law a measure requiring bottled water manufacturers to include labels disclosing the source of the water.
* He approved a bill requiring that trans fats be eliminated from food sold through school vending machines or by private contractors on campuses starting in 2009. That bill, SB 490, was sponsored by Sen. Elaine Alquist (D San Jose).
* He vetoed a bill that would have required disclosure when food products come from cloned animals.
* He approved SB 880, by Sen. Ronald Calderon (D Montebello) and sponsored by athletic shoemaker Adidas America, that legalizes until 2011 the importation or sale of kangaroo parts or products in the state.
But the strongest reaction came over the gun issues.
The bill requiring that semiautomatic pistols be equipped with microstamping devices by 2010 is the first in the nation and was signed with some reluctance by the Republican governor.
"While I appreciate and understand that this technology is not without limitations, I am signing this bill to provide law enforcement with an additional tool for solving crimes committed with semiautomatic handguns in California," Schwarzenegger wrote.
The National Rifle Assn. and other gun owner groups had vigorously opposed AB 1471, by Assemblyman Michael Feuer (D Los Angeles), as well as the law banning lead ammunition in condor habitats. Proponents of the latter bill said birds have died from lead poisoning after feeding on carcasses of animals left by hunters.
Dexter Haight, an NRA volunteer coordinator from Ramona, was shocked that Schwarzenegger signed the two bills.
"I'm appalled," Haight said. "The condor bill is not based on scientific evidence, and the microstamp is a feel good thing that isn't going to work."
But Feuer said "this will help catch killers." He added that he has had inquiries from other states and from members of Congress who may be willing to follow California's lead.
The legislation was one of several bills introduced this year in response to a spike in gun violence last year in Los Angeles.
