Welcome to California 2A Litigation Updates from Mike Ellias

January 21, 2024

California’s budget deficit has reached $58 billion according to recent articles in the SF Chronicle and NY Times, both liberal publications. Some estimates claim the deficit is almost $90 billion.

Update on VCGO Govt Affairs’ meetings with local officials:

·       Congresswoman Julia Brownley – date pending confirmation.

·       State Senator Monique Limon – Feb 7, 2024

·       Assemblyman Steve Bennett – date pending confirmation.

·       Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin – Feb 23, 2024

Legislation (only a small sampling) almost all of which carried over from last session:

SB 452 Microstamping – signed into law, requires DOJ to “study” the feasibility of imposing microstamping on new purchases of firearms and if so determined as “feasible,” firearms must be equipped by Jan 2027. This despite the DOJ’s abandonment of enforcement of microstamping

SB 902 & AB 554 Firearms (as pertains to “cruelty” to animals) targets both hunters and other law-abiding gun owners. Seeks to expand the 10-year prohibition of owning/possessing a firearm to those convicted of a misdemeanor violation of a very subjective and loose definition of cruelty to an animal by including terms such as “over-working” “over-loading” and “among other things.”

AB 851 Gun Free Zones – seeks to dramatically expand the areas within Sacramento that prohibit possession of firearms. The author has identified his bill as a “Pilot Program” with clear intent for expanding to additional areas. This bill is a direct conflict with the recent court rulings on SB2’s “Sensitive Locations” component.

AB 262 – Children’s Camps – Bill will expand the parties and groups, both government agencies/departments, along with a multitude of private “stakeholder groups (e,g, - academic researchers, environmental groups, parent and children’s advocate groups, for-profit & non-profit recreational camps, and others) with ability to declare certain activities as dangerous. It specifically lists such activities as target shooting at gun ranges, swimming, horseback riding, etc.

SB 8 – Firearm Liability Insurance – seeks to impose requirement that gun owners obtain a liability insurance policy covering injury, damage or death from the use of that firearm whether resulting from accidental or negligent. Specific terms of coverage have yet to be set. [an insurance policy to exercise a Constitutional right ? ]

AB 36 Domestic Violence Protective Orders as applied to firearms – seeks to expand the prohibition of possessing/owning firearms and ammunition 3 years beyond the expiration of the Protective Order. Applies to very broad and subjective activities such as telephone, text, email messages, verbal communication, and other forms of “harassment.” Apparently includes harassment of another’s animal.

For a more detailed explanation of current legislation and court cases impacting our Second Amendment refer to CRPA’s website and/or magazine California Firing Line.

Respectfully,

Mike Ellias