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LA City Council Members Smith And Wesson Call For New Gun Control Measures

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — LA City Council members Greig Smith and Herb Wesson have introduced a resolution urging California and federal lawmakers to ban the sale and possession of assault weapons.

It's an ironic turn of events, considering "Smith and Wesson" is the name of one America's most famous gun-makers.

Troy Bacon (L) and Ken Schiedemeyer (R)
Milwaukee, UNITED STATES: Troy Bacon (L) and Ken Schiedemeyer (R) look over the Smith & Wesson hand gun display 19 May, 2006 at the 135th National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The show runs through 21 May. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)

"Communities and families across America are grieving over the horrible shootings that struck El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, this weekend, less than a week after a shooting in Gilroy," Councilman Greig Smith said.

"The gun violence epidemic in our country is not normal and it's not something we in Los Angeles will accept as we stand idly by," Council President Wesson said. "In just over a week, we've been shaken by three tragic mass shootings which have made it clear that nowhere is truly safe in a country that allows these weapons of war to be sold and carried on our streets. This resolution is our message to our state and federal legislators: We need meaningful reform on gun control now."

The City Of Los Angeles Officially Unveils Obama Boulevard In Honor Of The 44th President Of The United States Of America
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: Herb Wesson attends the official unveiling of City Of Los Angeles' Obama Boulevard in honor of the 44th President of the United States of America on May 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

In addition to the sale and possession of any assault weapon, the measure also calls for banning materials that can convert a semi-automatic weapon into an essentially fully automatic weapon.

The councilmen also want federal and state legislation that would set standards requiring the removal or blocking of hate speech on social media platforms.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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