California Considers Closing Loophole In Assault Weapons Ban

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California's attorney general is backing a renewed effort to expand the state's ban on assault rifles in the wake of recent mass shootings.

The bill introduced Thursday by Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu of San Francisco would bar the sale or transfer of most semiautomatic rifles with detachable magazines.

Attorney General Kamala Harris says AB1663 would close a legal loophole that allows firearms manufacturers to include "bullet buttons" that let firearm owners rapidly exchange empty ammunition magazines for ones full of bullets.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed similar legislation in 2014.

A narrower bill, AB1664 by Democratic Assemblymen Marc Levine and Phillip Ting, would only outlaw bullet buttons.

Lawmakers are planning to introduce numerous gun control bills this year following a deadly terror attack involving assault rifles in San Bernardino last month.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.