SB798

Picture yourself as a cop. It's dark outside and you been called to a school for a noise disturbance. As you search the halls you find someone dressed in dark clothes holding what appears to be an M16 assault rifle. Without thinking you have your gun drawn and are instructing The person to drop the weapon. When they turn towards you, weapon still in hand you do EXACTLY what you have been trained to do: you shoot the subject and take control of the scene. No problem from anyone so far, right? Ok as the crime scene is secured and the investigation begins it's discovered the "weapon" was an airsoft gun. The parents try to sue but it's all righteous, the subject, discovered to be a 14 year old boy, presented what any reasonable person would believe was a real fire arm. Fast forward to "tomorrow". Gov. Jerry Brown passes into law a bill requiring all airsoft guns to be bright colors, something to ensure no other kids will be killed. The next day your called to a report if individuals in a strip mall carrying automatic weapons. As you roll up you see the weapons are brightly colored. You step from your patrol car and before you can tell these "kids" to leave you're hosed down by automatic gunfire. At your funeral your widow decries the senseless death of her husband, a death caused by enacting a law that would cloud the judgment of an officer, having him question his training and letting criminals gain an upper hand. Sure it's a what off scenario but if you google "pink ar-15" you will be taken to a website for Jim's Duracoat, where you can have your gun sent to him and be painted whatever color you need, including "pink". It already exists, a way to make your gun look like a real toy. The best way to prevent kids from being killed is to A) block the lawsuits by dead kids' parents if their child had an airsoft gun in a public place and failed to listen to the commands of a police officer. B) and I hate this cause I know some good people in this category who this shouldn't apply to but make it illegal for minors to possess these items. Not just play with but POSSESS. finally toughen the punishments for improper use and unlawful possession and limit the places where they can be used including law enforcement notification of use on unrestricted public lands. Please the constituents that have brains not just the ones who feel entitled to impose their will onto others.