Assembly Passes Bill Restricting Gun Permits

SACRAMENTO — In a slap at a small-town police chief who has freely issued concealed-gun permits, the Assembly approved a bill Monday that would let law enforcement officials grant the licenses only to residents of their own communities.

On a 41-33 vote, the Assembly sent to Gov. Pete Wilson the bill aimed squarely at the practices of Police Chief Eugene Byrd of the tiny Northern California hamlet of Isleton.

He has issued more than 960 permits in the last few years to people in the region, outraging anti-gun activists.

But the chief of Isleton, population 833, has become a folk hero to gun activists, which was evident Monday as Assembly Republicans stood to support Byrd and lambaste the bill by Sen. Patrick Johnston, a Stockton Democrat.

“This bill is really an attempt to ratchet down our freedoms and ability to protect ourselves,” said Assemblyman Rico Oller (R-San Andreas). Democrats, however, chided Byrd. His procedure for dishing out permits “looked like a vending machine,” said Assemblyman Don Perata (D-Alameda). “You got to Isleton, you pay a fee and out pops a permit.”