AG Applauds Signing of Bill to Keep Guns from Prohibited Users

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- California Attorney General Kamala Harris has applauded the signing of Senate Bill 819 by Governor Jerry Brown;  Harris says the measure will help get guns out of the hands of criminals and others who are prohibited from owning them.

The bill allows regulatory fees collected by gun dealers to be used to fund the California Department of Justice's Armed Prohibited Persons System program.

"I applaud Governor Brown for signing this law that will authorize our Special Agents to utilize existing funds to seize firearms from felons, gang members, the mentally ill and others who cannot legally possess such weapons," Harris said in a statement. "Seizing guns from the most dangerous among us is the kind of smart law enforcement that makes a difference in the everyday lives of Californians."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Brown Signs Bill Banning Open Carrying of Handguns

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill which prohibits the carrying of handguns in public, officials announced Monday.

Officials say the bill is a measure to help curb gun violence while ensuring the safety of law enforcement. The ban makes California the fifth state to enforce such legislation.

The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2012, makes it a misdemeanor to openly carry an unloaded handgun in public areas and is punishable by up to a year in jail and fine of $1,000.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Occupy San Francisco Movement Spreads

(SAN FRANCISCO) -- The Occupy San Francisco protests have grown across the city, spreading to Oakland's downtown plaza on Monday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The protests have been inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests, with a predominately liberal crowd claiming to be the 99 percent of Americans being ruined by the super-wealthy 1 percent.

The movement has been criticized for not having a unified message and for sporadic clashes with police.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Calif. First State to Ban Indoor Tanning for Youths under 18

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law prohibiting anyone under the age of 18 from using indoor tanning facilities, making California the first state to do so.

The bill, sponsored by State Senator Ted Lieu, will take effect on Jan. 1, 2012. Lieu said the ban was necessary to protect children and stated that ultraviolet radiation from the tanning beds is dangerous, a fact seen in the statistic that skin cancer was the leading cause of cancer death for women aged 25 to 29.

"Indoor tanning is especially harmful because of the intense and dangerous type of UV rays emitted from the tanning beds," Lieu said. "Moreover the skin damage is cumulative, so the more exposure one gets younger in life, the worse the harmful effects will be."

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Burglars Find Child Porn and Report Homeowner to Police

(DELHI, Calif.) -- Two burglars got more than they bargained for when they stole what they thought were empty CDs only to discover child pornography.

The burglars, a 19-year-old and a minor, broke into Kraig Stockard's home and came away with 50 CDS, 30 of which contained pornography. The two teens took the evidence to police, admitting to their crime in the process.

Police arrested Stockard and seized computers and laptops from his home. Stockard, who is out on $25,000 bail, has been downloading porn since 2004.

The Merced County Sheriff's Department did not arrest the burglars saying their crime was not as severe as the child porn.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio