(a) (1) Except as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600), possession of any assault weapon or of any .50 BMG rifle in violation of this chapter is a public nuisance, solely for purposes of this section and subdivision (c) of Section 18005.

(2) The Attorney General, any district attorney, or any city attorney, may, in lieu of criminal prosecution, bring a civil action or reach a civil compromise in any superior court to enjoin the manufacture of, importation of, keeping for sale of, offering or exposing for sale, giving, lending, or possession of an assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle that is a public nuisance.

(b) (1) Upon motion of the Attorney General, district attorney, or city attorney, a superior court may impose a civil fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for the manufacture of, importation of, keeping for sale of, offering or exposing for sale, giving, or lending of an assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle that is a public nuisance pursuant to subdivision (a) and up to two hundred dollars ($200) for each additional assault weapon or .50 BMG that is a public nuisance pursuant to subdivision (a).

(2) Upon motion of the Attorney General, district attorney, or city attorney, a superior court may impose a civil fine not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300) for the possession of an assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle that is a public nuisance pursuant to subdivision (a) and up to one hundred dollars ($100) for each additional assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle possessed, that is a public nuisance pursuant to subdivision (a).

(c) Any assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle deemed a public nuisance under subdivision (a) shall be destroyed in a manner so that it may no longer be used, except upon a finding by a court, or a declaration from the Department of Justice, district attorney, or city attorney stating that the preservation of the assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle is in the interest of justice.

(d) Upon conviction of any misdemeanor or felony involving the illegal possession or use of an assault weapon, the assault weapon shall be deemed a public nuisance and disposed of pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18005.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 730, Sec. 7. (AB 879) Effective January 1, 2020.)