Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs bill banning destruction of guns surrendered at buyback events

PHOENIX — Arizona cities and counties that hold community gun buyback events will have to sell the surrendered weapons instead of destroying them under a bill Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law Monday.

The bill was championed by Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature who argued that municipalities were skirting a 2010 law that was tightened last year and requires police to sell seized weapons to federally licensed dealers. They argued that destroying property turned over to the government is a waste of taxpayer resources.

Democrats who argued against the bill said it usurps local control and goes against the wishes of people who turn over their unwanted weapons to keep them out of the hands of children or thieves.

Buybacks are popular among some police and elected officials who either pay cash or hand out gift cards in exchange for weapons. Tucson and other Arizona communities destroyed weapons from the events, arguing that because the guns were voluntarily surrendered, the laws concerning weapons seized by authorities didn’t apply....

...The governor’s office said it received nearly 2,000 letters, emails or phone calls about the bill, with only 25 opposed. One of the letters in support was from the National Rifle Association, which argued that selling seized or forfeited guns “would maintain their value, and their sale to the public would help recover public funds.” The NRA letter said the bill doesn’t prevent a private group from holding an event and destroying the weapons.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/arizona-gov-jan-brewer-signs-bill-banning-destruction-of-guns-surrendered-at-buyback-events/2013/04/29/d929b892-b13f-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

So in that case why even have buybacks?