The Ammunition Accountability Act e-mail a hoax - It already failed in 2008

If you own a gun, there’s one thing for sure - you are living in constant fear that Barack Obama is going to come to your house and forcibly take it away. Never mind the slew of issues that are threatening the nation, for gun owners, Barack Obama and the Democrats represent the ultimate worst-case scenario - gun-control activists with a badge.

It is with this in mind that I received an e-mail breathlessly titled “We Told You so!!” that brings up the Ammunition Accountability Act. As Snopes has yet to provide us with a handy go-to link to debunk this, I figured I’d try my hand at it.

Here’s part of the e-mail message I received:

If you thought I was crazy … Think again!
>
> Ammunition Accountability Act
>
> Did you know anything about this?
>
> Pennsylvania is one of the states mentioned. The gun
> control liberals got a setback when the Supreme Court upheld
> the 2nd amendment rights in Wash. DC. Now they are trying
> to come thru the back door.
>
> Please forward this to all you know that want to keep their
> guns!!!!
>
> Maybe we can start a ground swell, or continue it at least,
> that will go all over
> the U.S. and have a positive impact on the outcome.
>
>
> Remember how Obama said that he wasn’t going to take
> your guns? Well, it seems that his minions and allies in the
> anti-gun world have no problem with taking your ammo! The
> bill that is being pushed in 18 states
(including Illinois
> and Indiana) requires all ammunition to be encoded by the
> manufacture a database of all ammunition sales. So they will
> know how much you buy and what calibers. Nobody can sell any
> ammunition after June 30, 2009 unless the ammunition is
> coded. Any privately held un-coded
>
> ammunition must be destroyed by July 1, 2011.(lncluding
> hand loaded ammo.)
> They will also charge a.OS cent tax on every round so every
> box of ammo you buy will go up at least $2.50 or more! If
> they can deprive you of ammo then they do not need to take
> your gun!
>
> This legislation is currently pending in 18 states:
> Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois,
> Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New
> Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
> Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington. To find
more about the
> anti-gun group that is sponsoring this legislation
> and the specific legislation for each state, go to:
>
> http://ammunitionaccountability.org/Legislation.htm

First off, sorry for not fixing the format, but I’ll be damned if I’ll fix formatting on another e-mail that’s been forwarded so often it makes it impossible to decipher. Second off, some quick research showed me this - The Ammunition Accountability Act is real, but the e-mail is a hoax. All sponsored AAA Legislation came up in 2007 and 2008 and none even made it to a vote.

Here is what happened to AAA legislation in the 18 states it came up (info was either obtained via phone calls to state legislatures or use of state Web sites):

Alabama Senate Bill 541: It was indefinitely postponed in House of origin. It will not pass and would have to be reintroduced.

Arizona House Bill 2833: It never got heard in any committee. Never voted on. It would have to be reintroduced.

California Senate Bill 997: SB997 has no Info on it, and died in committee. SB1471 passed and is now known as the “Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007.” It was authored by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can read the final bill here. The bill is in regard to handguns and microstamping, not ammunition. It also has no wording in it that would indicate that citizens would need to turn in their guns. It could also be rendered moot depending on the technology. It is not a part of the AAA agenda.

Connecticut Raised Bill 603: The bill was raised and had a public hearing. No action was taken. Bill would need to be re-introduced.

Hawaii House Bill 2392, Hawaii Senate Bill 2020, Hawaii Senate Bill 2076: All bills were deferred to the judiciary with no further action taken. Bill would need to be reintroduced.

Illinois House Bills 4258, 4259, 4269, 4349. Illinois Senate Bill 1095: All bills referred to Rules Committee. No other actions were taken.

Indiana House Bill 1260: Was sent to committee and not acted on again. It would need to be reintroduced.

Kentucky House Bill 715: Was withdrawn.

Maryland House Bill 517: No copy of the report. It didn’t pass. Would need to be reintroduced.

Mississippi Senate Bill 2286: Died in Committee.

Missouri Senate Bill 1200: Referred to Judiciary. Would need to be reintroduced.

New Jersey Assembly Bill 2490: Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee. Would need to be reintroduced.

Pennsylvania House Bill: Referred to the Judiciary on Feb. 5, 2008. No other action taken.

Rhode Island Senate Bill 2742: Committee recommended measure be held for further study. It would need to be reintroduced.

South Carolina Senate Bill 1259: Was referred to a subcommittee with no further action taken. Would need to be reintroduced.

Tennessee House Bill 3245, Tennessee Senate Bill 3395: Both were sent to the judiciary committee with no other action taken. Would need to be reintroduced.

Washington House Bill 3359: Was referred to the Judiciary with no other action taken. Would need to be reintroduced.

Ammunitionaccountability.org: This Web site was last update on Dec. 3, 2008.

Conclusion: The Ammunition Accountability Act (AAA) was introduced in 18 state legislatures in 2007 and 2008. It didn’t pass in any form nor even make it to a vote. California’s “Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007″ does not involve ammunition and is not part of the AAA. While the e-mail points out that the bills are “pending,” that is false. No AAA bills are currently pending from the list the AAA Web site provided.

The AAA made little to no headway in 2007 or 2008, and there is no reason to believe it would in 2009, if it were to be reintroduced, which as of yet it hasn’t. The AAA e-mail has gained traction due to fears by gun owners that it was something new, and that Obama has a part in it somehow, which he doesn’t. While concerned gun owners could keep an eye out for future AAA bills, at this point, the issue is a non-issue. The e-mail is a politically motivated hoax.

-WKW