New Mood On Gun Laws Surfaces In The U.s. (Press, 14 July 1982)

On 14 July 1982, San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein enacted a significant law banning the sale and possession of handguns, marking the first instance of such legislation in a large American city. This decision followed a wave of gun violence, including the assassination of Feinstein's predecessor, Mayor George Moscone, and fellow Supervisor Harvey Milk by a former police officer. The new ordinance, which is expected to face legal challenges, will allow residents 90 days to surrender their handguns to the police, deposit them at a shooting range, or sell them outside the city. Exemptions are provided for police, military, security personnel, and store owners. The law is set to take effect at the end of July 1982 and violations will be classified as misdemeanours, punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a fine of $500. Critics argue the law is unenforceable since gun owners are unlikely to willingly relinquish their weapons, asserting that only state authorities hold the power to legislate on such matters. Compounding the issue is the lack of registration requirements for handguns in California, making it difficult to assess the number of firearms in circulation; a 1968 police study estimated 700,000 handguns in the city. Despite this, 371,160 handguns were legally sold in California in 1981, with nearly 7,000 transactions occurring in San Francisco alone. Feinstein’s personal history with firearms is notable, as she purchased a handgun in 1976 after her home was bombed and expresses her intention to comply with the new law by surrendering her weapon. The chief of police supports the mayor's initiative but acknowledges the practical challenges of enforcement, stating that police will only act on visible infractions rather than proactively seeking out violators. The Board of Supervisors approved the measure with a 6-4 vote. Public sentiment across the United States generally leans towards stricter controls on handguns, although many lawmakers continue to face pressure from the gun lobby, particularly the National Rifle Association. In an interesting contrast, while San Francisco pushes for a ban, other areas have enacted laws mandating handgun ownership. These conflicting approaches highlight the broader national debate on gun control and the difficulties of enforcing local laws against a backdrop of state and national regulations. The reactions to Feinstein’s proposed ban have sparked significant backlash from gun rights advocates, who remain staunchly opposed to such measures.

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