"A rare thing happened in the California Legislature the other day. A gun-rights bill passed," says columnist Michael Smolens. "The bill was passed unanimously by the Democratic-controlled state Senate and sent to the Assembly, which is also dominated by Democrats. It would be a fool’s errand to suggest this could be a harbinger of potential common ground on one of the most polarizing issues in the nation. Still, it serves as a launching point to look at other signs that maybe — just maybe — there could be room for agreement on broader gun policies."