A new law which has already partially taken effect in California with the other half set to take effect in 2025 will implement new "merchant category codes". These codes can be used for various purposes by the state including "detection scenarios"

Hey everybody, how's it going? Welcome back to Copper Jacket TV! Believe it or not, there's yet another new firearm law in California that we need to talk about, which is going to take effect fairly soon. If you thought California couldn't possibly track you any further, you're going to want to pay attention to this one.

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So, let's dive into what's going on here. In California, things are already tough enough as it is. There are background checks for almost everything, waiting periods, purchase limits, and outright bans. Just about every restriction that can be thought up has been put into law to limit your Second Amendment rights. But this new law takes things a step further.

What we're talking about is the introduction of new Merchant Category Codes. Starting next year, there will be specific codes that categorize purchases related to firearms separately from general sporting goods. So, instead of simply categorizing a purchase as sporting goods, these new codes will identify if you bought firearm-related products.

Now, you might think this isn’t a big deal since California already tracks so much. But you’d be wrong. California can always find ways to use this information against you. Listen to this: A representative from a gun control advocacy group in California mentioned that these Merchant Category Codes can be used to create "detection scenarios." Essentially, they’ll be able to flag patterns in purchasing that could be deemed suspicious, potentially reporting these to law enforcement.

The goal here is not just about separating these category codes. It’s about enabling preventive action — California loves the whole pre-crime concept, which is why they're big on red flag laws. It almost feels like they’re inspired by science fiction movies, constantly coming up with new ways to track and restrict.

For instance, let’s say you go to a store often, maybe three or four times a week. With the new codes, this could appear on a radar as suspicious if your purchases are logged multiple times a month under firearm-related products. This could make you a suspect under their detection scenarios. Who knows how California might use that information? While there are background checks and registration for many things, there are also items that don’t require registration, like buying paper or other miscellaneous items that these stores might sell.

This new law is being rolled out in two stages. The first stage has already happened with the creation of the new category code. Next year, stores will be required to adopt this new code, and if they don’t, there are penalties. Fines could go up to $10,000 per incident for failing to use the code, potentially shutting down businesses that can’t comply. Imagine missing ten transactions — the fine could quickly become astronomical.

California is the starting point, but we’re already seeing other states implement similar measures. Recently, Kathy Hochul in New York signed a bill introducing this in her state, so we’re likely to see this creep into other states soon. However, some states are making it illegal to use Merchant Category Codes specifically for tracking firearm purchases, which shows how divisive and concerning this issue is.

I wanted to make you all aware of this because not many people are talking about it yet. Information is the best tool we have to fight back. Thank you all so much for watching; I really appreciate it. Please like, subscribe, and have a great day!