California assault weapon owners face registration deadline

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Owners of certain firearms that are now illegal to buy under California’s expanded definition of assault weapons will have to register them by April 12. The registration applies to gun owners who legally bought so-called bullet-button assault weapons that allow users to rapidly exchange ammunition magazines. California lawmakers outlawed weapons with that feature in 2016 but those who bought them before Jan. 1, 2017, are still allowed to own them if they register the weapons. It’s the second time the state has opened a registration window, after critics said it botched the first try in 2018.