PROP. 47: Governor vetoes bill to make all firearm thefts felonies

OFF THE WIRE
Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday, July 1 vetoed legislation co-authored by an Inland assemblywoman that would have made all firearm thefts a felony offense.
AB 1176, co-authored by Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, was intended to reverse a change made by Prop. 47, which made theft of a gun valued at $950 or less a misdemeanor.
San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said the veto is frustrating to many law enforcement officers, who dislike the impact the proposition has had on enforcement.
"Handguns are traditionally worth about $400 or $600," Burguan said. "We are literally catching people with stolen guns and all we can give them is a ticket for it. It's maddening."
Because voters approved Prop. 47, AB 1176 would have had to go on the ballot for final approval.
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In his veto message, Brown wrote: “While I appreciate the authors’ intent in striving to enhance public safety, I feel that this objective is better attained by having the measure appear before voters only once.”
Melendez, who is vice chairwoman of the Assembly’s public safety committee, expressed her disdain for the veto.
“Apparently, Governor Brown believes stealing a gun isn’t a serious threat to public safety,” she said in a news release. “I ask the governor to tell that to the families who have had loved ones murdered by stolen firearms.”

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