We got a lot emails from our readers in California and  it's not good. State Senator Kevin De León's SB 199 has passed the State Senate last 28 August with 23 Ayes, 12 Noes and 5 No Votes Recorded (NVR). Despite opposition from the Animal Pest Management Services, Inc., California Association of Firearms Retailers, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., Outdoors Sportsmen's Coalition of California, Safari Club International, and The California Sportsman's Lobby (where is the Airsoft Safety Foundation in the list of opposition?), the State Senate approved the bill, concurring with the Amendments from the State Assembly.

As of this writing, the status of the SB 199 is now "engrossing and enrolling". This means that the wordings of the bill are checked, ensuring that the contents are accurate. From there and once authorization is received, the enrolling staff will then transmit it to the Governor Jerry Brown's Office for his signature.

The Governor has three options with the first two not welcome to airsofters: signing it, which turns it into a law; and not signing but will it let it lapse on his desk which turn the bill into law automatically. The third option is to veto it and remand it back to the Legislature which they will need to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. Given the bill's vote history, it will be tough the override it.

Now, the problem for airsoft community in California is that Governor Brown might sign the bill immediately when it lands on its desk which means there will be no time to appeal to him. But if he prioritizes other bills to consider for signing or veto, then there will be enough time.

Usually, if Governor Brown doesn’t sign the bill within 12 days, the bill automatically becomes a law. If we are correct that SB 199 will be enrolled and transmitted to his office on or after the 1st of September, which is within the month of the end of the legislative session for the California State Assembly, then he has 30 days.  According to the State Assembly Legislative Deadlines, September 30 is the last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature before Sept. 1 and in the Governor’s possession on or after September 1 (Art. IV, Sec. 10(b)(2)).

SB 199 will be either signed, vetoed or unsigned and becomes a law on or before the 30th of September. This also means that there is either a very small or big window for those opposing SB 199 to appeal to Governor Brown to veto the bill. Thus, the No On SB 199 Facebook Group, they are appealing to all registered airsoft players in California to call or email the Governor's Office to state their opposition:

We all, as an airsoft community, need to call the Governor's office and make our voices heard. Make them aware that this bill will do nothing to improve safety, and that it only hurts responsible airsoft owners like us. That coloring air guns only blurs the line even further between what is real and what is fake. Let them know the danger and uncertainty this will put on law enforcement officers. When faced with a firearm, no matter the color, the fraction of a second is a matter of life and death for them.

Remember, when contacting the governor's office, be polite. Get your point across, but do so in a way that is respectful and educated. Also, if you state your opposition as a vote, you MUST be a California registered voter; do not do so if you are not registered, but you can still call.

Tomorrow, we stand up for our sport. May common sense prevail.

- Ranger

So the fate of airsoft in California as we know it now lies in the hands of Governor Jerry Brown. For the airsoft community in California, make yourself heard, now.