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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 6 april 2022
California may empower citizens to sue over illegal firearms

By DON THOMPSON going to deputize a bunch
Associated Press of amateurs — non-law-
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) yers, non-cops — to judge
— For all California’s na- a neighbor’s actions and
tion-leading attempts to then give them the right to
regulate firearms, the state drag them into court over
has not found a way to de- it.” Giffords Law Center
ter those happy to skirt the to Prevent Gun Violence,
laws with stolen or home- which generally favors fire-
made and increasingly arms restrictions, hasn’t tak-
prevalent “ghost” guns. en a position on the bill.
In just two recent examples, The center’s state policy di-
police say the first weap- rector, attorney Ari Freilich,
on recovered after gun- said it “would essentially
men killed six people and bring more enforcement
wounded 12 in downtown oversight to some specific
Sacramento early Sunday criminal laws in California.”
had been stolen and con- “It’s not something that’s
verted to being capable really been tried before,”
of automatic gunfire. The Freilich said.
homemade assault weap- He wouldn’t predict if it
on a father used a month would be effective, but
ago and a few miles away said the proposal has some
to kill his three daughters, A person passes a memorial near the location of a mass shooting in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, “potential challenges.”
their chaperone and then April 4, 2022. Associated Press Among them is encourag-
himself was unregistered. ing civil actions to punish
“People argue that we’ve The most populous state will they’re illegal under other Yet, Hertzberg’s bill is pat- crimes, and establishing “a
got the toughest gun laws consider an innovative new laws. And it would not in- terned after a similar Texas bounty” to be collected by
in the nation. But they’re approach Tuesday when clude stolen weapons un- law allowing citizens to go those who haven’t been
clearly not tough enough,” Hertzberg, at the urging of less they are otherwise after those who provide or directly harmed.
Democratic state Sen. Rob- Gov. Gavin Newsom, ex- made illegal, for instance assist in providing abortions. His organization is backing
ert Hertzberg said Monday. pects to take the first step by filing off the serial num- And even if it becomes other bills, including one
The latest mass shooting to advance a bill allowing ber. law, Hertzberg’s bill will au- that would make it easier
in a nightclub area blocks private citizens to sue any- “It’s going to have hope- tomatically be invalidated for people to sue gun com-
from the state Capitol re- one who distributes illegal fully a chilling effect on if the Texas law is eventually panies for liability in shoot-
newed calls for tougher assault weapons, parts folks with ghost guns or as- ruled unconstitutional. ings that cause injuries or
firearms laws from President that can be used to build sault weapons,” Hertzberg “This is tit for tat political death. Two other bills also
Joe Biden. Biden called for weapons, guns without se- said. “You’ve got to have gamesmanship, which is target firearm parts and
Congress to take many of rial numbers, or .50 caliber millions of eyeballs looking the worst reason to be pass- guns without serial num-
the steps nationwide that rifles. The penalty: at least for these guns. If someone ing some kind of a bill,” said bers, and those made with
California already has in $10,000 in civil damages for flashes one, talks about it, Chuck Michel, president of 3D printers.
place — imposing back- each weapon, plus attor- all of a sudden there’s an the California Rifle and Pis- Legislative analysts also
ground checks, banning neys fees. incentive among the pub- tol Association and an at- raised concerns, including
assault weapons and high- But the bill would not bar lic in a way that there’s torney who wrote a book that California’s bill might
capacity magazines, and anyone from possessing or never been before to try to about California’s compli- be seen as legitimizing Tex-
outlawing ghost guns. using the weapons, though pull them off the street.” cated gun laws. “You’re as’ approach.q

Mississippi governor signs state’s

largest income tax cut

Reeves on Tuesday signed care, roads and other ser- et will be reduced to 4%.
a bill that will reduce the vices, especially hurting After the first year, the tax-
state income tax over four Mississippi’s poor and work- free income levels will be
years, beginning in 2023. ing-class residents. $18,300 for a single person
Mississippi, one of the poor- The Mississippi income tax and $36,600 for a married
est states in the nation, has accounts for 34% of state couple, lawmakers said.
struggling rural hospitals revenue. Wealthy people Mississippi has enjoyed ro-
and perpetually under- would see the biggest fi- bust tax collections the
funded schools. nancial boost from elimi- past several months, partly
Supporters say a significant nating the income tax, because of increased fed-
tax cut could spur eco- because they’re the ones eral spending during the
nomic growth and attract paying the most now. The COVID-19 pandemic. Op-
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves speaks about the importance of new residents to Mississippi, poorest residents would see ponents of reducing the
his signing a teacher pay raise bill, Thursday, March 31, 2022, at which was one of three no benefit because they Mississippi income tax point
Madison Central High School in Madison, Miss. states that lost population are already earning too lit- to Republican-led Kansas,
Associated Press during the decade before tle to pay state income tax. which enacted big tax
By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS lower income taxes in com- the 2020 census. Oppo- Starting next year, the 4% cuts in 2012 and 2013 but
Associated Press ing years as the state en- nents say reducing the in- income tax bracket will be repealed many of them in
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mis- acts its largest-ever tax cut. come tax would mean less eliminated. The following 2017 after large and persis-
sissippi residents will pay Republican Gov. Tate money for schools, health three years, the 5% brack- tent budget shortfalls.q