- Noah Marty
- Legislative/Communications Assistant
- Noah.Marty@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D – Encino), Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (D - San Francisco), and Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty joined gun violence survivors and advocates to call on the California State Senate to advance AB 1127, which would address the threat posed by the growing proliferation of DIY machine guns. AB 1127 has passed the California State Assembly, but faces a critical vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee later this week.
AB 1127 is a top priority for gun safety groups like Moms Demand Action because it would help address a deadly design flaw that makes it possible to convert some semi-automatic firearms to highly lethal machine guns with the use of a simple device known as a “switch”. The use of “switches” has skyrocketed in recent years, and guns equipped with them are quickly becoming a weapon of choice for criminals. These devices are cheap, can be made at home with a 3D printer, and can be installed in minutes with just a screwdriver.
What California Leaders Are Saying
“As parents and lawmakers, we refuse to stand idly by while our schools and communities are being threatened by illegal machine guns,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino). “This commonsense legislation will ensure that the gun industry is held accountable and that we are doing everything possible to protect our communities from mass shootings. I am grateful to Assemblymember Stefani, Mayor McCarty, Moms Demand Action, and the incredible survivors and advocates who are the heart and soul of this movement.”
“Let’s call this what it is: reckless greed from gun manufacturers who know their products can be turned into illegal machine guns. AB 1127 says enough is enough. If these companies won’t redesign their weapons to protect our communities, California will hold them accountable. I’m proud to stand with Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel to shut this deadly loophole down once and for all.” - Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (D-San Francisco).
“115 bullets in 50 seconds. That’s what happened three years ago when a Glock pistol converted into a DIY machine gun was involved in a gun battle right here in Sacramento, resulting in six deaths and twelve injuries. We must hold gun manufacturers accountable for preventing their guns from being easily converted into lethal weapons. Let’s take this next step toward a safer California." - Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty
What Gun Violence Preventing Advocates are Saying
“We’ve mourned too many people taken by gun violence and we’ve mourned far too many taken by DIY machine guns that terrorize our communities,” said Deborah Grimes, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action and a gun violence survivor whose son Najee was shot and killed with a DIY machine gun pistol. “This is about saving lives. We can’t wait until it’s too late to ask what we should have done — we know the answer today: pass AB 1127. We thank Mayor McCarthy and Assemblymembers Gabriel and Stefani for their tireless efforts to save lives.”
Background on AB 1127
Fully automatic machine guns are exceptionally lethal weapons capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. Unfortunately, some semi-automatic firearms include a deadly design element that allows for an easy and simple conversion to a fully automatic weapon with the use of a “switch”.
Law enforcement agencies across the country have reported an increase in recoveries of these parts and weapons equipped with them. The tragic shooting that occurred just blocks from the California State Capitol Building in 2022, which left six dead and a dozen wounded, involved one of these modified automatic weapons.
AB 1127 would encourage gun manufacturers to finally address this issue and prevent their guns from being easily converted into deadly automatic weapons by prohibiting the sale of any semi-automatic handgun in California that is easily convertible into a fully automatic machine gun.
Next Steps
AB 1127 faces a critical vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee later this week. Should it advance, the bill would need to pass the State Senate prior to the end of the Legislative session on September 12. If passed by the Legislature, Governor Newsom will have until October 12 to decide whether to veto the bill or sign it into law.
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Jesse Gabriel proudly represents the San Fernando Valley in the California State Legislature.