Limón and Bennet to introduce legislation banning gun shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds

(SACRAMENTO) – Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Steve Bennett issued a joint statement today regarding future legislation to ban gun shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds:

“After hearing from many constituents and local governments, we are announcing legislation for the upcoming legislative year to enhance public safety by banning gun shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. We believe the state should not be in the business of using state property to facilitate the sale of dangerous firearms.”

In 2020, Senator Limón authored AB 2061, which authorized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to inspect firearms dealers, ammunition vendors, or manufacturers in order to ensure compliance with state and federal firearms laws. 

Both Limón and Bennett supported SB 264 (2021, Min), which would have banned gun shows statewide, but was later amended to only apply to Orange County.

According to Center for American Progress, gun shows rank second to corrupt dealers as a source for illegally trafficked firearms. Gun shows are “the critical moment in the chain of custody for many guns, the point at which they move from the somewhat-regulated legal market to the shadowy, no-questions-asked illegal market.”[1] 

This legislation will be introduced early next year.

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[1] http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/report/2013/12/13/80795/the-gun-debate-1-year-after-newtown/