CA DOJ Moves Forward with Proposed Ammo Regulations

CA DOJ Submits Proposed Regulations Regarding Upcoming Ammunition Transfer Background Check Requirements to Office of Administrative Law

Beginning July 1, 2019, all ammunition transactions in the state of California will be subject to a background check requirement. But in order to implement this requirement, the California Department of Justice (“DOJ”) must first adopt necessary regulations which, as of today, have been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law (“OAL”) for review.

As reported earlier, California gun owners were given an opportunity to comment on DOJ’s proposed regulations on two separate occasions. CRPA and NRA submitted two comprehensive comment letters on DOJ’s proposal. The first letter highlighted the many key substantive provisions lacking in the proposal and serious issues as to the required authority, clarity, and consistency required by California’s Administrative Procedures Act. The second letter addressed key revisions and statements made by DOJ during a recent stakeholder’s meeting concerning the proposed regulations.

OAL has until July 1—the day the new requirements are scheduled to take effect—to approve or deny DOJ’s proposed regulations. Assuming OAL approves, California gun owners need to know what to expect when purchasing ammunition beginning July 1. To that end, CRPA, with the support of NRA, has prepared a comprehensive Information Bulletin addressing many frequently asked questions regarding the upcoming ammunition background check requirements.

To access CRPA’s Information Bulletin, click HERE.

In the meantime, CRPA attorneys are working to obtain a copy of the regulations as submitted to OAL to determine any necessary course of action. Members should also know that a lawsuit, titled Rhode v. Becerra, has already been filed challenging California’s new ammunition sales restrictions. To learn more about the Rhode lawsuit and to stay informed on DOJ’s ammunition background check regulations, be sure to visit the CRPA webpage at https://crpa.org/.

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