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SALT LAKE CITY -- Some Utah gun owners and 2nd Amendment advocates are nervous about a new California law signed this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The new law sets up what amounts to an ammunition registry. Vendors would be required to track the name, driver license number and right thumbprint of anyone buying ammunition. In addition, there will be a ban in California on mail order and online ammo sales -- buyers would have to pick up their ammunition in person, and vendors would be required to surrender their registry information to law enforcement on request.
"The first concern, of course, is just the general invasion of privacy, when exercising a constitutional right," says Charles Hardy, public policy director for Gun Owners of Utah.
"Second concern is that this becomes the camel's nose in the tent," he adds, wondering if the lawmakers and lobbyists behind this law will try something even more restrictive next year.
Hardy isn't too worried about Utah following suit, but wouldn't be surprised if a few other states do. He also thinks the law would do very little to actually prevent crime.
The new California law takes effect in February 2011.
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
