Article 3. Sks Rifles of California Penal Code >> Division 10. >> Title 4. >> Part 6. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.
Notwithstanding paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section
30510, an "SKS rifle" under this article means all SKS rifles
commonly referred to as "SKS Sporter" versions, manufactured to
accept a detachable AK-47 magazine and imported into this state and
sold by a licensed gun dealer, or otherwise lawfully possessed in
this state by a resident of this state who is not a licensed gun
dealer, between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997.
(a) (1) Any person who, or firm, company, or corporation
that operated a retail or other commercial firm, company, or
corporation, and manufactured, distributed, transported, imported,
possessed, possessed for sale, offered for sale, or transferred, for
commercial purpose, an SKS rifle in California between January 1,
1992, and December 19, 1997, shall be immune from criminal
prosecution under Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former
Section 12280.
(2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply
retroactively to any person who, or firm, company, or corporation
that, is or was charged by complaint or indictment with a violation
of former Section 12280 for conduct related to an SKS rifle, whether
or not the case of that person, firm, company, or corporation is
final.
(b) (1) Any person who possessed, gave, loaned, or transferred an
SKS rifle in California between January 1, 1992, and December 19,
1997, shall be immune from criminal prosecution under Article 2
(commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280.
(2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply
retroactively to any person who was charged by complaint or
indictment with a violation of former Section 12280 for conduct
related to an SKS rifle, whether or not the case of that person is
final.
(c) Any SKS rifle in the possession of any person who, or firm,
company, or corporation that, is described in subdivision (a) or (b),
shall not be subject to seizure by law enforcement for violation of
Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280
prior to January 1, 2000.
(d) Any person, firm, company, or corporation, convicted under
former Section 12280 for conduct relating to an SKS rifle, shall be
permitted to withdraw a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or to
reopen the case and assert the immunities provided in this article,
if the court determines that the allowance of the immunity is in the
interests of justice. The court shall interpret this article
liberally to the benefit of the defendant.
(e) For purposes of this section, "former Section 12280" refers to
former Section 12280, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the
Statutes of 1989 or as subsequently amended.
(a) Any person, firm, company, or corporation that is in
possession of an SKS rifle shall do one of the following on or before
January 1, 2000:
(1) Relinquish the SKS rifle to the Department of Justice pursuant
to subdivision (h) of former Section 12281.
(2) Relinquish the SKS rifle to a law enforcement agency pursuant
to former Section 12288, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the
Statutes of 1989.
(3) Dispose of the SKS rifle as permitted by former Section 12285,
as it read in Section 20 of Chapter 23 of the Statutes of 1994.
(b) Any person who has obtained title to an SKS rifle by bequest
or intestate succession shall be required to comply with paragraph
(1) or (2) of subdivision (a) unless that person otherwise complies
with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of former Section 12285, as it
read in Section 20 of Chapter 23 of the Statutes of 1994, or as
subsequently amended.
(c) Any SKS rifle relinquished to the department pursuant to this
section shall be in a manner prescribed by the department.
(a) Any person who complies with Section 30720 shall be
exempt from the prohibitions set forth in Section 30600 or 30605 for
those acts by that person associated with complying with the
requirements of Section 30720.
(b) Failure to comply with Section 30720 is a public offense
punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section
1170, or in a county jail, not exceeding one year.
(a) (1) The department shall purchase any SKS rifle
relinquished pursuant to Section 30720 from funds appropriated for
this purpose by the act amending former Section 12281 in the 1997-98
Regular Session of the Legislature or by subsequent budget acts or
other legislation.
(2) The department shall adopt regulations for this purchase
program that include, but are not limited to, the manner of delivery,
the reimbursement to be paid, and the manner in which persons shall
be informed of the state purchase program.
(3) Any person who relinquished possession of an SKS rifle to a
law enforcement agency pursuant to any version of former Section
12288 prior to the effective date of the purchase program set forth
in paragraph (1) shall be eligible to be reimbursed from the purchase
program. The procedures for reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph
shall be part of the regulations adopted by the department pursuant
to paragraph (2).
(b) In addition to the regulations required pursuant to
subdivision (a), emergency regulations for the purchase program
described in subdivision (a) shall be adopted pursuant to Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2
of the Government Code.
(a) The Department of Justice shall notify all district
attorneys on or before January 31, 1999, of the provisions of former
Section 12281.
(b) The department shall identify all criminal prosecutions in the
state for conduct related to SKS rifles on or before April 1, 1999.
In all cases so identified by the Attorney General, the district
attorneys shall inform defense counsel, or the defendant if the
defendant is in propria persona, in writing, of the provisions of
former Section 12281 on or before May 1, 1999.
(c) Commencing no later than January 1, 1999, the department shall
conduct a public education and notification program as described in
Section 31115 or in former Section 12289, as added by Section 6 of
Chapter 954 of the Statutes of 1991 or as subsequently amended.