Trailing only Kentucky and Indiana, California continues to show a growing trend among residents: they want more guns.

In the month of February, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed 214,844 background check applications for firearm transfers in California. While that number may be down from January’s total of 220,912, California sits comfortably at the top of the list of states with the most applications processed in 2016, a trend that started with the terrorist attack in December.

“Most mass shootings have not triggered quite this great an increase in gun purchasing,” says UCLA law professor Adam Winkler. “The fear of new gun control leads to more gun sales.”

If Californians’ fears were amped up after the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, they were kicked into overdrive when two anti-gun bills were introduced in January. The NRA-ILA reported:

On Thursday, January 14, California’s NRA-PVF “F”-rated Attorney General, Kamala Harris, announced her support of freshman Assembly member David Chiu’s introduction of  Assembly Bill 1663 in a press release.  AB 1663 would expand the classification of “assault weapons” to include all detachable magazine semi-automatic rifles and any rifle that uses a “bullet button.1” Gun owners who possess these firearms would be required to register them as “assault weapons” or face potential felony penalties, arrest, and confiscation of the firearm.  AB 1663 will also ban the future sale of these firearms.

On the same day, NRA-PVF “F”-rated Assemblymembers Marc Levine and Phil Ting introduced a second anti-gun bill, Assembly Bill 1664.  AB 1664 would ban the use of a “bullet button.”

The use of a “bullet button” currently keeps semi-automatics with detachable magazines from being classified as an “assault weapon.”  In banning the use of a “bullet button” the possessor will now have possession of what California law considers an “assault weapon.”  With this being said, the possessor will have to register that firearm as an “assault weapon” or face potential felony penalties, arrest, and confiscation of the firearm.  AB 1664 will also ban the future sale of these firearms.

The explanation of registration in both bills means paying a registration fee and completing a registration form that contains:

• A description of the firearm and unique identifiers;
• The date the firearm was acquired
• The name and address of the individual from whom, or business from which the firearm was acquired;
• Registrant’s full name, address, telephone number, date of birth, height, weight, eye color, hair color, and;
• California driver’s license number or California identification card number.

These bills are detrimental to the Golden State’s law-abiding gun owners, which number in the hundreds of thousands.   They would turn legally-owned semi-automatic firearms into what California law defines as an “assault weapon.”  These same firearms are used in hunting, competitive shooting and for general legal use throughout the United States.

Although the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, CA prompted a sharp spike in gun sales throughout the Golden State, it only added to an already climbing number. In fact, handgun sales have more than doubled since 2010.

Somebody bring Gavin Newsom some smelling salts, he may faint at the realization that his constituents are arming themselves in response to California’s push for gun (and ammo) control.