California DOJ withdraws ‘emergency’ large-capacity firearm magazine regulations

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has withdrawn a series of “emergency” regulations over large-capacity firearm magazines after gun rights advocates took advantage of a short window of time during the holidays to submit complaints.

The proposed restrictions were withdrawn Thursday, just two weeks after they were submitted. Large-capacity magazine reforms are already set to begin on July 1, 2017, following the passage of Proposition 63 and SB 1446. However, the emergency regulations would have bumped that up to January 2, 2017.

Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Nicolaus) publicly opposed the regulations, citing a narrow timeframe for the public to submit comments or complaints regarding them. In a letter to Debra Corney, Director of the Office of Administrative Law, and California Bureau of Firearms Chief Stephen Lindley, Gallagher complained that “many Californians will not have the opportunity to fully review the regulations since they were submitted during the middle of the holiday season.”

“Two of the… five days for public comment were Christmas and Christmas Eve,” he wrote.

Gun rights advocates have referred to the regulations as a “ban” on large-capacity magazines, as they place further controls on firearms dealerships when selling magazines that can hold over 10 rounds of ammunition.

The proposed regulations would have banned large-capacity magazine permits from being issued to any firearm dealership without “good cause,” such as “A statement from the applicant that a large-capacity magazine marketplace exists for their dealership.” Additionally, dealerships would have to get permits for each location but would automatically transfer if the dealer moved their store to a different location, as long as prior notice was provided to the state’s Department of Justice.

The exact reason for the withdrawal of the regulation is unknown.