Anti-Gun Agenda Paused For Summer Break

This last week, the California legislature broke its annual summer recess. While our representatives are on vacation, they have left behind a host of toxic anti-gun legislation in various stages of the legislative process. Now, you may think this would be a good thing; if the legislature isn’t meeting, they can’t attack our rights. Unfortunately, leaving these bills to the last minute is not a result of carelessness, it is a calculated act.

By leaving these bills to the last minute, people are far less likely to notice garbage anti-gun legislation amid the torrent of bills that need to be reviewed before the end of a session. With a large number of bills and a limited amount of time, legislators tend to move through them quickly, leaving little time for debate or discussion. This is bad news for California gun owners. In making sure these anti-second amendment bills are caught up in the end of session rush, anti-gun legislators deny our rights the attention they deserve.

Now more than ever, it is essential that our Second Amendment rights are not shut down by limited debate, limited opposition speakers, and rushed legislators. Thankfully, we are aware of this dirty little game; the CRPA and NRA will be watching the end of this legislative session closely. If, and when, the legislature moves to vote on these anti-gun/anti-freedom bills, we will make sure that the voices of California’s gun owners are NOT ignored.

AB 7 (GIPSON) – Senate Appropriations: Prohibits open carry of unloaded long-guns in unincorporated areas of the state.

AB 424 (MCCARTY) – Assembly Floor: (eligible for a vote of the full Assembly): Removes authority of local school officials to allow on campus carry.

AB 736 (GIPSON) – Senate Appropriations: Allows the Department of Justice to impose a fine for a violation of firearms licensing requirements committed by a licensed firearms dealer.

AB 1525 (BAKER) – Senate Floor (eligible for a vote of the full Senate):  Requires that firearms packaging must have additional statements on the dangers of owning a gun printed on it.

SB 464 (HILL) – Assembly Floor (eligible for a vote of the full Assembly): Requires firearms dealers to install additional security measures such as concrete pillars and/or vaults and other locking mechanisms for their merchandise.

SB 497 (PORTANTINO) – Assembly Appropriations: Limits the sale of firearms to one gun a month per individual (expansion of the current regulation for pistols).

SB 536 (PAN) – Assembly Floor (eligible for a vote of the full Assembly):  Requires the Department of Justice to provide information on gun violence restraining orders to anti-gun organizations such as the Firearm Violence Research Center at the University of California. It will permit the DOJ to cherry-pick who gets what data.

SB 620 (BRADFORD) – Gives courts the discretion to NOT issue mandatory sentencing provisions for the use of a firearm while committing a crime.  Although this bill died on the Assembly Floor, some want to revive it.  With gut and amend, anything is possible; we will be watching for any legislative mischief that could bring back this nasty proposal.