Firearms: Assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles: exemptions.

Existing law generally makes it a crime to possess, manufacture, distribute, transport, import for sale, keep for sale, offer or expose for sale, or give or lend any assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle. Under existing law, these prohibitions on assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles do not apply to the sale to, purchase by, importation by, or possession by, the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or to any police department or sheriff's office, among other entities. This bill would also make the above prohibitions inapplicable to the sale of an assault weapon or a .50 BMG rifle to, or the purchase, importation, or possession of an assault weapon or a .50 BMG rifle by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The bill would authorize the department to issue an assault weapon or a .50 BMG rifle to a peace officer employed by the department for use in performing the officer's duties, as specified.