Gun Control

California Sen. Diane Feinstein may have few Republican allies -- or even conservative Democrats -- as she pushes a new assault weapons ban, but she can at least count on the support of Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) who issued a statement Thursday hailing the legislative effort. “No one thinks that this fight is going to be easy, but who can be content to do nothing in the face of one awful tragedy after another?” Schiff said in a statement. Feinstein's new measure, which goes further than the now-lapsed 1994 law she authored, would prohibit the sale, import and manufacture of more than 150 weapons -- including the make of Bushmaster rifle used in the Connecticut school shootings -- and ammunition magazines that can accept more than 10 rounds, according to the L.A. Times . Those who legally own assault weapons would be allowed to keep them.

The state Senate approved a bill Thursday that prohibits carrying a loaded firearm in a car in an unincorporated area of the state. The loaded-firearms bill, which Sen. Jack Scott introduced and supported by a variety of law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, aims to close a loophole in current gun-control laws and crack down on incidents of road rage. Incorporated cities already prohibit carrying loaded firearms in vehicles, as do some individual counties that have passed similar gun-control ordinances, including Los Angeles County.

Forgetting all the rhetoric for the moment, let's examine the basic philosophies of Adam Schiff (a liberal) and Jim Rogan (a conservative). A true liberal believes people are basically bad and need a governing body to see that they do good. In contrast, a true conservative believes that people are basically good, and when left to their own devices will do good. As a moderate Republican, I see a blurring of these definitions. We are constantly observing the corporations and individuals giving millions upon millions of dollars to charities as well as helping others without the direction of the government.

In an effort to help law enforcement agencies investigate gun-related crimes, the California Assembly passed a bill on Tuesday that would require semi-automatic pistols to be equipped with a micro-stamping mechanism that would etch information on the cartridge case. Authored by Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Feuer, AB1471, which is on its way to the Senate after passing 44-31 in the Assembly, is lauded by its supporters as a tool that would help solve gun-related crimes, especially homicides.

Things I simply just don't get: So, the last Harry Potter movie just came out. Spoiler Alert: J.K. Rowling is a gazillionaire. And leading up to the release was a gauntlet of publicity about the middle-aged actors pretending to be 17-year-old wizards for the last time. Most notable was the overwhelming amount of attention given Emma Watson, who plays Hermione in the series. Relentless stories on every entertainment and tabloid website about her haircut, her career and her college choices.

GLENDALE — The sun will soon set on state Sen. Jack Scott’s 12-year career in the Legislature, a tenure marked by broad political cohesion and the passage of nearly 160 bills. “I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to serve the people of the 21st District,” Scott said Thursday. “I’ve had a great experience, and I hope I’ve done some good. I’ll always remember it with much fondness.” After four years in the Assembly and six years in the Senate, Scott is set to retire Dec. 1 en route to his new role as head of the state’s community college system.

Craig Kupka, I appreciate your thoughts about guns (“ Hunting rifles, shotguns are enough ,” Mailbag, Feb. 6), but you are an optimist. If you think owners of illegal guns are going to surrender their handguns and military-style weapons don't hold your breath; you won't live that long. Your thought on rejuvenating the mental health system is a goal we should attempt to achieve. Unfortunately, the mental health system is so fractured it will take years and billions of dollars to reach a meaningful status.

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE -- One of the nation's most well-known gun control lobbies is targeting a local congressional candidate with its "Dangerous Dozen" list. Handgun Control, a nonprofit organization headed by Jim and Sarah Brady, this week placed Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) on its roster of legislators with "pro-gun" records. "Jim Rogan had a truly horrible record of voting against common sense gun laws in California and he's continued that in Congress," said Luis Tolley, the group's western regional director.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) called on Congress Tuesday to renew a federal ban on assault weapons in the wake of the deadly theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., that killed 12 people and wounded 58 others.  While acknowledging that the federal ban, which was allowed to expire in 2004, and other proposals - such as bill that would ban high-capacity ammunition magazines - “will not stop all mass killings, or even all mass shootings,” Schiff said...