This morning, the State of California released their language regarding their assault weapons and high-capacity magazine bans.

In the document, the state mandates all firearms they consider to be “assault weapons” must be registered with the Department of Justice:

Any person who from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2016 inclusive, lawfully possessed an assault weapon that does not have a fixed magazine as defined in Penal Code section 30515, including those weapons with an ammunition feeding device that can be readily removed from the firearm with the use of a tool (commonly referred to as a bullet-button weapon) must register the firearm before January 1, 2018.

The Golden State is considering anything without a “fixed magazine” the size of the pistol grip to be an assault weapon. The focus is primarily on those who build their own AR-15 style pistols.

Residents are then required to go through a number of crazy steps to make sure their firearm is in compliance:

1. In order to be legally registered, the firearm has to have been legally acquired on or before December 31, 2016.
2. Each gun owner would have to establish an account under the California Firearms Application Reporting System (CFARS). The following information must be provided:
   • Full name
   • Address
   • Telephone number
   • Date of birth
   • Sex
   • Height
   • Weight
   • Eye color
   • Hair color
   • Military identification number (if applicable)
   • CA driver’s license or identification card number
   • United States citizenship status
   • Place of birth
   • Country of citizenship
   • Alien registration number (if applicable)
3. The following information would have to be provided on each firearm that falls under their definition of an “assault weapon”:
   • Firearm type, make and model
   • Caliber
   • Firearm color
   • Barrel length
   • Serial number
   • All identification marks firearm
   • Country of origin/manufacturer
   • The date the firearm was acquired
   • The name and address of the individual from whom or business from which the firearm was acquired
   • Clear digital photos of firearms listed on the application.
     • One photo shall depict the bullet-button style magazine release installed on the firearm.
     • One photo shall depict the firearm from the end of the barrel to the end of the stock if it is a long gun or the point furthest from the end of the barrel if it is a pistol.
     • The other two photos shall show the left side of the receiver/frame and right side of the receiver/frame.
4. If you’re like most families, you probably share your firearms amongst yourselves. If that’s the case, each family member who will be shooting the firearm must be registered as well. One person who have to be identified as the “primary registrant,” while others must register as “joint registrants.” To be a “joint registrant” you must live at the same address as the primary registrant. Everyone who is registered must be 19 by December 31, 2017.
   • Only direct family members (parent to child, child to parent, spouses) are allowed to be joint registrants.
   • Joint registrants have to provide proof of address showing they live with the primary registrant.
5. You’ve gone through the above steps but wait. You’re not done yet! The CA DoJ will provide each of your firearms with a specific serial number. You must then take your firearm and your new serial number and have an FFL engrave it on your firearm.
6. Once the serial number is engraved on your firearm, you have to provide pictures to the DoJ showing the serial number was completed.
7. Pay a $15 fee per firearm to register your gun. There are no limits to the number of firearms that can be registered in a single transaction but the DoJ can deny your application for any reason.

The silliest part of this whole thing? The CA DoJ isn’t even ready for the registration process to begin.

Buckle up, kids – it’s going to be a bumpy ride.