Clovis gun shop owner worried for possible restrictions under new California bill

CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Assembly Bill 1127 could ban licensed gun dealers from selling semi-automatic handguns in the state of California.

California lawmakers said these guns can be easily converted into an automatic weapon through the installation of a Glock switch.

Under existing law, “the Glock switch” is illegal.

Owner of The Firing Line Clovis Indoor Shooting Range, Jake Belemjian, said this bill is not the solution to prevent more crime. 

“How about we take guns away from people that we know are convicted criminals who are not supposed to have firearms? Why don’t we work on that,” Belemjian said.

Belemjian said if the bill passes, his business will be impacted, and criminals will always find a way.

“Any firearm, any tool, anything can be modified; something that’s designed for a lawful and useful use could be made into something that would be used for an unlawful or something bad, to do something bad,” Belemjian said.

However, proponents, like the CEO for Fresno Building Healthy Communities, Sandra Celedon, said the bill aims to prevent gun violence.

“All people need to do is install a simple switch. And just like that, any one of us can have a machine gun. AB1127 really is about safety. It’s about improving the safety of all of us here in California.”

Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said the bill affects local business owners like Belemjian and citizens who want to protect themselves legally. 

“Law-abiding residents who have everything to lose because they don’t want to go to jail, they don’t want to lose their job,” Zanoni said.

Zanoni said most criminals the sheriff’s office has arrested are not purchasing guns legally.

He also said lawmakers have the focus all wrong.

“It’s not about the laws. It’s about holding people accountable and ensuring that you’re keeping dangerous, violent people off the streets,” Zanoni said.

The status of AB1127 is still in its early stages.