CA Gov. Newsom signs 23 new gun control laws, says it's not enough

California holds the record for imposing the most draconian gun control laws in the country. It's a nightmare for law-abiding gun owners who seek only to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

Yet, it appears nothing can slake the left-wing thirst for even more laws aimed primarily at those who do not commit violent crimes.

On Sept. 26, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a total of 23 new gun control laws. Amid the jubilation, Newsom sounded a note of disappointment. According to ABC 30 in Fresno, Newsom said, "It's great what we're doing, but it may not be enough."

May not be enough?

California already requires firearm registration, bans so-called "assault weapons," bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, prohibits open carry, allows licensed concealed carry only for residents of "good moral character," refuses to recognize out-of-state carry permits, and imposes other strict rules on its residents.

And now with the newly enacted laws, come even more restrictions.

They've banned concealed carry in nearly all public places, including private property without express permission of the owner, doubled the training time for concealed carry licenses, raised the minimum age for carry to 21, imposed an 11% excise tax on all legally purchased firearms and ammunition, banned body armor for all private citizens, extended the existing 10-day waiting period to a maximum of 30 days, mandated microstamping technology for all semiautomatic firearms, required retailers to use "merchant category codes" to track all sales at firearm and ammunition dealers, and more.

Will any of this reduce violent crime? Not according to Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni and District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, both of whom decried these new laws as pointless.

According to Fox News, "Both officials argued that the law doesn’t penalize those who commit the majority of gun crimes — those who have illegally obtained firearms."

DA Smittcamp specifically criticized SB 2, one of the 23 new laws signed by Newsom, saying, "This law is not going to make people safer. It just isn’t."

She went on to say that, like all modern gun control laws, it targets the wrong people: "Less than two percent of the crimes that are committed with guns in the United States are committed by lawful gun owners."

Sheriff Zanoni agreed, saying, "Criminals will carry their guns wherever, we arrest people on a daily basis who are convicted felons who are gang members, who aren’t supposed to carry guns, but they have them. These are the individuals that need to be targeted by gun laws and more restrictive laws and stronger sentencing guidelines, not CCW holders."

He also pointed out a growing problem in many Democrat-controlled districts, where violent criminals incarcerated for gun crimes "are being let out of jail the same day they are arrested."

A press release from Gov. Newsom's office bragged about California's No. 1 rank and a grade of "A" from Giffords Law Center, a prominent gun control organization, suggesting that the state's harsh laws are directly responsible for lower violence rates.

But if that's true, how do they explain that Giffords gives an "F" rating to states with lower homicide rates?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California has a homicide mortality rate of 6.4 per 100,000 people. Yet Alaska, with some of the least restrictive gun laws in the U.S., and rated "F" by Giffords, has the same homicide mortality rate.

Plus, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah — all rated "F" by Giffords for their lax gun control laws — boast lower homicide mortality rates?

If nothing else, this demonstrates the bias and absurdity of Giffords' grades. Gun control laws and homicide rates are not related.

Fresno County DA Smittcamp hit the nail on the head when she pointed out that criminals, not the law abiding, commit nearly all gun crimes in the U.S. And given that criminals by definition don't obey the law, what good is it to pass these 23 new gun control laws? None whatsoever.

Yet, for Gov. Newsom and other left-wing politicians, it's not enough. They want more. In fact, earlier this year, Newsom called for a constitutional convention to enact a 28th Amendment that would eviscerate the Second Amendment.

The goal for gun control proponents has never been to reduce violent crime. It has always been to eradicate gun rights and remove guns from the hands of all Americans.

Dean Rieck is Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association, a former competitive shooter, NRA Patron Member, former #1 NRA Recruiter, and host of the Keep and Bear Radio podcast.