(a) (1) Any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that operated a retail or other commercial firm, company, or corporation, and manufactured, distributed, transported, imported, possessed, possessed for sale, offered for sale, or transferred, for commercial purpose, an SKS rifle in California between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997, shall be immune from criminal prosecution under Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280.

(2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply retroactively to any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that, is or was charged by complaint or indictment with a violation of former Section 12280 for conduct related to an SKS rifle, whether or not the case of that person, firm, company, or corporation is final.

(b) (1) Any person who possessed, gave, loaned, or transferred an SKS rifle in California between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997, shall be immune from criminal prosecution under Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280.

(2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply retroactively to any person who was charged by complaint or indictment with a violation of former Section 12280 for conduct related to an SKS rifle, whether or not the case of that person is final.

(c) Any SKS rifle in the possession of any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that, is described in subdivision (a) or (b), shall not be subject to seizure by law enforcement for violation of Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280 prior to January 1, 2000.

(d) Any person, firm, company, or corporation, convicted under former Section 12280 for conduct relating to an SKS rifle, shall be permitted to withdraw a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or to reopen the case and assert the immunities provided in this article, if the court determines that the allowance of the immunity is in the interests of justice. The court shall interpret this article liberally to the benefit of the defendant.

(e) For purposes of this section, “former Section 12280” refers to former Section 12280, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the Statutes of 1989 or as subsequently amended.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.)