[BoulderCouncilHotline] Assault weapons ban proposals - referred measure and pistol grip definition

[Weaver, Sam]

Fellow Council Members and HOTLINE followers,

At the public testimony on the proposed ban on fire rate accelerators (bump stocks, etc) and semi-automatic assault weapons, several members of the public suggested that we should put our measures to a vote.  I partially agree.  I want to move aggressively to ban fire rate accelerators such as bump stacks, Gatling cranks, and mechanical trigger gloves, and feel we can do so directly with a Council-passed ordinance in the near term.  On the other hand, I feel that our community should speak through a public vote this November on whether to ban assault weapons.  This will make clear that any such measure would have the approval of a majority of the Boulder voting public, or it would not come into effect.

I will personally be supporting a ban on these military-style weapons for reasons that I will expand on at our May 1 meeting, provided that we get the definitions and exemptions into clear order.  But I also feel that our community needs an extended conversation about the balance between constitutional rights, protecting those in public spaces from mass shooting events, and where our community wants to draw the line on allowed types of weapons.  A referred ordinance (or Charter measure) would provide an opportunity for our citizens to consider and vote on such an important measure.  I would like this option brought forward for consideration at our May 1 meeting.

Through research on California's definition of 'pistol grip', I have found some very clear language and material that I think we should consider for our ordinance.

In California, this is what the law say's as to what qualifies as a 'Pistol Grip' on a rifle.  Among the features which qualify a rifle as an assault weapon are:

"A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon."

Later in the ordinance this is defined:

    "Definition-
    (d) "pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon" means a grip that allows for a pistol style grasp in which the web of the trigger hand (between the thumb and index finger) can be placed below the top exposed portion of the trigger while firing."

Attached you will find a document from the California Attorney General which gives visual examples of weapons which meet and do not meet the definition above.  Classic hunting rifle stock grips  (regardless of rifle caliber) do not qualify as pistol grips by this definition.

All the best,

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130

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