Sacramento, CA – In a bid to curry favor from the NRA gun lobby, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed two gun safety bills that would have protected children from gun violence.

The bills, authored by Senator Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), who lost his son to gun violence, would have held gun owners responsible if they left guns and ammunition easily accessible to children and required handgun ammunition buyers to provide proof of age and identity. The bills were backed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March and supported by law enforcement.

"After all his promises to stand up for families, it is so sad to learn that Gov. Schwarzenegger cares more about pleasing the NRA than protecting children from gun violence," said Jane Roth, California State Council President of the Million Mom March. "We are bitterly disappointed at the governor's vetoes, but we will continue to fight for sensible gun laws to protect California children. Maybe the next time Governor Schwarzenegger reads about a parent losing a child to an unattended gun, he'll remember these vetoes and reconsider his position."

Current California law only holds gun owners responsible if they leave loaded firearms accessible to children. There is no penalty if an unloaded gun is left lying around with the bullets right beside it. And while it is illegal for criminals and juveniles to buy handgun ammunition, there is no requirement that ammunition buyers show any proof of age or identity. The other bill would have required handgun ammunition buyers to provide a thumbprint and show proof of age. The thumbprint would have allowed police to identify and prosecute criminals who illegally buy bullets and the identity check would have stopped juveniles from buying ammunition.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March is a non-partisan, grassroots, chapter-based organization and is the largest group in America working to prevent gun violence and keep Americans safe at home, at school, at work, and in their communities.

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As the nation's largest national, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March is dedicated to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in their communities.

I don't know if Ahhnold was trying to curry favor with the NRA or not. It sounds more like he used some common sense (something woefully lacking in most Californians, it seems) and vetoed two bad bills.

He can't be trying too hard... he just signed the .50 ban.

Quoted: I don't know if Ahhnold was trying to curry favor with the NRA or not. It sounds more like he used some common sense (something woefully lacking in most Californians, it seems) and vetoed two bad bills.

Agreed but, he must have had a brain fart when it came to the .50 ban.

ETA: Sadly, since the .50 ban is now law, it would seem I can no longer go home without leaving my possessions out of state / country. Yes indeed, this is the land of the free.

Quoted: He can't be trying too hard... he just signed the .50 ban.

And he supported the AWB!

As the nation's largest national, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March is dedicated to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in their communities.

In other words, they want to ban ALL guns.

WTF, is that all they do in Kali is intoduce new gun bills everyday.

And he signed a bill that prohibits the display of realistic toy guns in public.

Everytime a politican votes in favor of gun rights the Brady Campaign says they are trying to please the NRA.  Did it ever occur to them it might have been just the right thing to do.

If you're on the NRA-ILA mailing list alert, then you'd know that those bills were vetoed due to NRA members' efforts.

Congratulate those citizens - not the governator.

Quoted: As the nation's largest national, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March is dedicated to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in their communities. In other words, they want to ban ALL guns.

That wouldn't stop gun voilence... it would only lower self-defense with a firearm.