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Governor signs Achadjian’s law to ensure timely reporting of illegal firearm owners 

State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian is Paso Robles' representative at the California State Assembly.

State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian is Paso Robles’ representative at the California State Assembly.

Friday morning, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1591 by local Assemblyman (R-San Luis Obispo) in to law. Having received unanimous, bipartisan support in the legislature, AB 1591 requires that courts submit reports of Armed Prohibited Persons to the Department of Justice within one court day of making such a determination. Last year, Assemblymen Achadjian and Adam Gray (D-Merced) requested an audit of this reporting system, which ultimately found that most courts did not submit these mandatory reports at all, or often took too long to do so.

“AB 1591 is critical to improving gun safety in California. Especially in light of recent tragedies, any delay in reporting persons who are prohibited by law from owning guns is unacceptable,” said Achadjian. “Timely reporting will help prevent future acts of gun violence and ensure that law-abiding citizens are protected.”

Armed Prohibited Persons are those who have been determined a danger to themselves or others as a result of a mental disorder or illness. Courts, mental health facilities, and state hospitals are all required to report these persons to the Department of Justice, which can then deploy enforcement agents to confiscate illegally-owned firearms. However, while other facilities are allowed only 24 hours to submit reports, courts were allowed “two court days.”

“As chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, I was disturbed by the audit finding an apparent lack of timely cooperation between the Courts and the Department of Justice,” said Assemblyman Gray. “With this law now in place, the responsibility of law enforcement to prevent guns from entering into the hands of prohibited persons is front and center. Paperwork is not an excuse to compromise public safety.”

Courts must also report if a ruling is reversed, to ensure that the Department of Justice’s database is both current and accurate. Prior to 2013, California law only specified that reports be submitted “immediately” by the relevant agencies. This vague terminology resulted in varying interpretations and inconsistencies statewide. As a result of AB 1591, courts across the state are held to a clear and enforceable deadline in reporting such serious information.

Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian represents all of San Luis Obispo County and part of Santa Barbara County, including the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria and surrounding communities.

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About the author: Publisher Scott Brennan

Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog.