San Diego Implements New Regulations for Gun Dealers

Gun dealers in San Diego must adhere to stricter guidelines following the recent passage of the Ira Sharp Firearm Dealer Accountability Act by the City Council. Authored by Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, the act aims to enhance oversight in the procurement process to ensure firearms are not supplied to ineligible buyers or through unlawful means.

Research conducted by Brady, a gun violence prevention group, reveals that annually, over $5 billion in government contracts fund the acquisition of firearms for law enforcement nationwide. In California alone, at least 90 law enforcement agencies were identified as purchasing weapons from dealers who had violated existing gun laws. These violations include failure to submit required sales reports to authorities like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which investigate potential illegal gun trafficking, and engaging in sales to straw purchasers.

Councilmember von Wilpert emphasized, "By leveraging the City's purchasing power, this ordinance compels firearm industry accountability and reinforces efforts to prevent crime guns from circulating in our communities." The ordinance, named after local advocate Ira Sharp, mandates that vendors seeking city contracts must have clean records from federal and state inspections, employ robust security measures to prevent firearm theft or loss, and refrain from any violations related to selling firearms to prohibited individuals.

City Attorney Mara Elliott underscored the legislation's significance, stating, “Taxpayer funds should not support firearm purchases from dealers who circumvent the law, endangering public safety. This ordinance upholds our city's values by establishing responsible safety standards for firearm procurement.”

Statistics from 2017 to 2022 highlight the grim toll of firearms in San Diego County, where over 1,300 lives were lost to gun-related incidents. Approximately 70% of these deaths were attributed to suicides, with homicides comprising the remaining 30%.