Democrat County Supervisors Vote To Not Contract With Bad Gun Dealers

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News Date
10/22/24
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Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, and the Democrat majority of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today passed a policy 3-1 for County staff to draft an ordinance that ensures any gun dealer that seeks a contract with the County complies with all state and federal laws, along with several other parameters that will be spelled out in the ordinance. 

The policy passed today was originally brought to the Board of Supervisors on October 8 for consideration, but it stalled due to a 2-2 vote. Supervisor Lawson-Remer decided to reintroduce it because all five members of the Board were present on Tuesday.  

“Barring illegal gun dealers from doing business with our County is another in a long list of actions we have taken over the last four years to keep San Diegans safe from the threat of gun violence,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “I’ve asked that we name the ordinance once it's complete after Ira Sharp, the co-founder of NeverAgainCA, and a person from my District who was a highly respected gun safety advocate.” 

Ira Sharp was the co-founder of NeverAgainCA after the Parkland mass shooting. He was a leader against gun violence through legislation, education and collaboration. Examples of Ira’s Impact include:  

  • Elected to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence national board in 2021, 
  • Worked with the California Firearms Strategy Group, Moms Demand Action, and Giffords Law Center, 
  • Helped with the passage of AB 893 banning the sale of firearms and ammunition on state fairground property, and 
  • Brought together elected officials and gun violence prevention groups to create the SafeStorageCA project in 2019

The policy was modeled after the City of San Diego’s recently adopted Ira Sharp Firearm Accountability Act, which was authored by Marni von Wilpert, City Councilmember, City of San Diego and implemented by Mara Elliott, City Attorney, City of San Diego.

“Recent studies show over 90 California law enforcement agencies handed over lucrative contracts to problematic crime gun dealers,” said San Diego City Councilmember and author of the City’s firearm procurement law Marni von Wilpert. “I’m proud that Vice Chair Lawson-Remer and the San Diego Board of Supervisors are taking action to ensure our tax dollars are not going to bad apple dealers. The gun lobby talking point that this a solution in search of a problem is based on ideological bias that ignores data that is traced straight from crime scenes.”

The passed policy will: 

1.     Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to develop a firearm procurement ordinance for board consideration. Specifically evaluate operational and administrative impacts, including evaluation standards, related to including the following vendor requirements in an ordinance and return to the Board in 120 days with key findings and options for Board consideration. The ordinance would include, but not be limited to, the following:

1.      Proof of compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including permits, and certificates,

2.      Documentation of firearm trace requests received within the past five years,

3.      Documentation of thefts from the vendor’s premises within the past five years,

4.      Submission of inspection reports conducted by federal, state, or local agencies,

5.      Disclosure of violations from inspections related to the purchase, transfer, manufacturing, or sales of firearms conducted by any federal, state, or local agencies,

6.      Documentation of policies and practices concerning the following:

                                                               i.              Preventing, detecting, and screening for the transfer or sale of firearms to firearm traffickers,

                                                             ii.              Preventing sales to individuals prohibited by federal, state, and local law, or court order,

                                                           iii.              Preventing theft of firearms,

                                                           iv.              Training employees to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations,

                                                             v.              Assisting law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prevention of criminal access to firearms, and

                                                           vi.              Operation of digital video surveillance systems.

Click here to read the policy.  

United Against Gun Violence found that at least 90 California law enforcement agencies have purchased firearms from dealers that did not comply with relevant gun regulations. One vendor, LA Action Police Supply, has secured contracts with 67 California law enforcement agencies, including the County of San Diego, totaling over $18 million worth of firearms and ammunition. But the dealer had over 40 violations of federal firearm laws since 1995.