Friday June 6 marked the deadline for all bills to pass out of the chamber of origin. Below find an update on notable firearm related bills from this session. Legislation that passed the chamber of origin have now been transmitted to the opposite chamber where they will be scheduled for committee hearings.
Assembly Bill 1078 changes several provisions of firearm laws in California, but most notably would limit firearm purchases for California residents to three firearms per 30-day period. The California legislature previously passed a bill limiting purchases to one gun a month, which has since been found unconstitutional by a U.S. District Court, and a stay was issued by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to prevent its enforcement. AB 1078 is an effort to sidestep this ruling and once again impose prohibitions on firearm purchases for law-abiding Californians.
Assembly Bill 1127 prohibits firearms dealers from selling certain semi-automatic pistols. While the stated intent is to restrict individuals from converting pistols into automatic “machine guns,” federal law already prohibits devices that convert semi-automatic firearms to fire automatically. AB 1127 is just another attempt to villainize certain categories of firearms and impose further gun bans in California.
Assembly Bill 1263 creates a new crime that prohibits an individual from knowingly or willfully causing another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of firearms.
Senate Bill 248 would require the Department of Justice to send a letter to certain specified firearm transferees notifying them of the "risks of firearm ownership," how to file for a Gun Violence Restraining Order, and information about domestic violence, among other topics. This letter will serve as nothing more than anti-gun propaganda paid for by taxpayers.
The following bills failed to advance ahead of the June 6 deadline and should be considered dead for the year:
Assembly Bill 1006 makes amendments to the Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) license application process, including that a person shall be deemed a disqualified person to receive or renew a license if they provide incomplete or inaccurate information on their application.
Assembly Bill 1187 imposes mandatory training requirements for individuals seeking to obtain a Firearm Safety Card to acquire a firearm. Current law already requires individuals to pass an exam issued by the Department of Justice, but AB 1187 would now require the completion of an 8-hour firearm training course that includes live-fire shooting at a firing range.
Senate Bill 15 imposes additional administrative hurdles and fees on California’s licensed firearms dealers and authorizes fines of up to $1,000 for technical violations. This bill is an obvious attempt to drive dealers out of business for inconsequential violations.
Senate Bill 320 directs California’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop and launch a system to allow a person who resides in California to voluntarily add his or her own name to the California Do Not Sell List. Individuals who add their name to the list would be prohibited from purchasing firearms for a minimum of 14 days, after which they could request to have their name removed from the database.
Please stay tuned to your email inbox and www.nraila.org for additional updates throughout the legislative session.