San Francisco agrees to delay handgun ban
Suzanne Herel, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
(12-28) 14:36 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The city will delay for two months the enactment of a controversial handgun ban that voters approved last fall under an agreement with the National Rifle Association, City Attorney Dennis Herrera said today.
In return, the NRA -- the ban's principal legal opponent -- won't pursue a temporary restraining order and has approved a briefing schedule beginning in mid-February that is expected to decide the legality of the new law.
If the NRA had sought a restraining order, the move likely would have delayed further the enactment of the law while the court considered that matter.
In November, 58 percent of San Francisco voters approved Proposition H, which consists of two provisions. One bans possession of handguns by city residents who are not peace officers or who do not need them for professional purposes. Residents have until April 1 to relinquish their weapons.
The second section, which was to go into effect Sunday, is the one being delayed: It bans the sale, manufacture, transfer or distribution of firearms within San Francisco. That portion of the law has less effect on the city, which is home to just one gun shop, High Bridge Arms. Two other dealers have permits to sell guns in San Francisco.
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