Assembly OKs gun show ban at San Diego fairgrounds

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Assembly voted Thursday to ban gun and ammunition sales at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County, one of two legislative efforts to ban gun shows on state property.

Democratic Assemblyman Todd Gloria’s bill now goes to the state Senate.

“With this bill, we are demonstrating that we value people over guns and are putting public safety first,” Gloria said in a statement.

Another effort to ban sales at the Cow Palace in San Francisco and San Mateo counties has not yet come for a vote in the full Senate.

Both fairgrounds are owned by the state and managed by agricultural associations. The boards that run both fairgrounds have already voted to ban or delay the annual Crossroads of the West Gun Show, and the state bills would make those bans permanent.

The cities of Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach, all near the Del Mar fairgrounds, have passed resolutions calling for an end to the show, according to NBC San Diego.

The bill passed the Assembly on a vote of 48 to 16. No lawmakers spoke against it.

San Diego County Gun Owners board member Jim Miller joined KUSI to talk about this decision.

RELATED STORY: State Assembly OKs gun show ban at Del Mar Fairgrounds

Gloria released the following press release with information on the bill and the vote:

SACRAMENTO, CA – California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) is set to bring forward his legislation to prohibit gun and ammunition sales at the Del Mar Fairgrounds for a full vote by the California State Assembly tomorrow. If successful, this would mark the first major approval for the bill by one house of the Legislature and a strong rebuke of the NRA, who has targeted the legislation.

Assembly Bill 893 (AB 893) would prohibit gun and ammunition sales at the Del Mar Fairgrounds starting in 2021. Assemblymember Gloria introduced the legislation in February after the cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, and Solana Beach passed resolutions calling for an end to the gun shows at the state-owned property.

AB 893 is co-authored by Assemblymembers Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas) and Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego).