Los Angeles County Municipal Code Ch. 13.69 Prohibition on the Sale of .50 Caliber Firearms and Ammunitions

The purpose and intent of this Chapter is to protect the health, safety, security, and general welfare of the residents of the County of Los Angeles and law enforcement personnel by reducing the risk of personal injury, death, or property damage caused by large caliber firearms. Large caliber firearms pose a grave danger to the public when used by criminals due to their high penetration capacity.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

A.

"Firearm" includes all devices described in California Penal Code Section 16520 or as subsequently amended, including, but not limited to, any gun, pistol, revolver, rifle or any device, designed or modified to be used as a weapon, from which is expelled through a barrel a projectile by the force of an explosion or other form of combustion. "Firearm" does not include any instrument as referred to in Government Code section 53071.5.

B.

"Large caliber firearm" shall mean any Firearm, as defined in this section 13.69.020. A, capable of firing a center-fire cartridge of .50 caliber or larger either by designation or by actual measurement. The term "large caliber firearm" shall include any rifle or handgun.

C.

"Firearm ammunition" means any self-contained unit consisting of the case, primer, propellant charge, and projectile for use in pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, or any other device designed to be used as a weapon from which is expelled a projectile by the force of explosion or other form of combustion. Firearm ammunition shall not include blank ammunition used solely in the course of motion picture, television, video, or theatrical productions.

D.

As used in this Chapter, the term "rifle" shall mean any firearm that is designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and is designed to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each single pull of the trigger. The term "rifle" shall not include any shotgun.

E.

As used in this Chapter, the term "handgun" shall mean any firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length. The term "handgun" shall include any pistol, revolver, or concealable firearm as such terms are defined in the California Penal Code.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

No person shall sell, give, transfer ownership of, transfer, offer for sale, or display for sale:

A.

any large caliber firearm; or

B.

any firearm ammunition for any large caliber firearm.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

A.

The provision of section 13.69.030 of this Chapter shall not apply to any sale or transfer of a firearm or firearm ammunition which is prohibited under State law, of any destructive device as defined in Section 16460 of the California Penal Code, of any assault weapon as defined in the California Penal Code, or of any .50 BMG rifle as defined in the California Penal Code. This Chapter shall not apply to any offer for sale or display in any periodical, solicitation by mail, or use of the internet by a seller or offeror located outside the unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles.

B.

The provision of section 13.69.030 of this Chapter shall not apply to the sale or other transfer of a large caliber firearm or firearm ammunition for large caliber firearm where the purchaser or transferee is any of the following:

A law enforcement agency;

An agency duly authorized to perform law enforcement duties;

A state or local correctional facility;

A person described in Section 18800, 30325, or 30330 of the California Penal Code, when acting within the course and scope of his or her law enforcement duties;

A federal law enforcement officer, when acting in the course and scope of his or her law enforcement duties;

A person who is properly identified as a full-time paid peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1, 830.2, 830.4, or 830.5 of the California Penal Code, and who is authorized to, and does, carry a firearm during the course of his or her employment as a peace officer, and is acting within the course and scope of such employment;

A firearms dealer who has been issued a Federal Firearms License, a Certificate of Eligibility by the State of California, and a Gun Dealer Business License under Title 7 of this code by the County of Los Angeles to engage in the retail sale of firearms;

A purchaser of a curio or collector firearm. A firearm shall be deemed curio or collector only if it falls within one of these categories:

a.

It was manufactured prior to 1899;

b.

It is classified as a curio or relic pursuant to 27 Code of Federal Regulations section 478.11, and the purchaser maintains a current federal firearms collector license; or

c.

It is a muzzle-loading firearm;

A federal, state, or local historical society, museum, or institutional collection that is open to the public, provided that the large caliber firearm is used for display purposes, is secured from unauthorized use, and is unloaded;

A person acting pursuant to a valid entertainment firearms permit issued by the State of California; or

A person who obtains title to a large caliber firearm by bequest or intestate succession.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

All provisions of this Chapter are effective thirty (30) days from the date of final passage by the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

A.

A violation of this Chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor.

B.

A violation of this Chapter shall constitute grounds for suspension or revocation of the licensee's Gun Dealer Business License under Chapter 7.46 of the Code.

C.

Any person who violates any provision of this Chapter may be subject to a civil action by County Counsel, including but not limited to, an injunction and other equitable remedies, and shall be liable for a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation, per day, as well as attorneys' fees.

D

Each transaction in violation of the Chapter shall be deemed a separate and distinct violation.

E.

The penalties and remedies provided for in this Chapter are nonexclusive and are cumulative with any other remedy available to the County as provided for by law.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)

If any provision or clause of this Chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision or application of this Chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Chapter are declared to be severable.

(Ord. 2023-0018 § 1, 2023.)