Welcome to California 2A Litigation Updates from Mike Ellias

July 4 2023

The state Legislature will begin a 30-day recess starting July 14. Upon their return, they have only about 14 days to consider remaining proposed legislation before the September 14 adjournment. The following are a few important bills being considered:

SB 2 (CCW Restrictions) This bill seeks to further restrict CCW licensees as to locations they are permitted to carry, increase the required training requirements and fees. If enacted, it will most certainly set the stage for further CCW restrictions. Status – passed the Senate 29-11; sent to Assembly, passed Assembly Public Safety Comm (party line vote 6-2); sent to Assembly’s Appropriations Comm. Unlike its predecessor SB918, which sought enactment under the urgency clause, this bill requires only a simple majority. The Senate has passed it, the Assembly most likely too, and the Governor will sign it into law. Then CRPA and other pro-2A groups immediately begin the costly legal challenge.

AB 1133 (CCW) imposes the state DOJ in lieu of county sheriffs as administer / grantor of CCW licenses

AB 28 (additional tax on firearms and ammunition) seeks to impose yet another tax on the purchase of guns and ammo. The bill would require that the revenues collected be deposited in the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Fund, which the bill would establish in the State Treasury.

SB 241 & SB 368 – (additional reporting/documentation requirements for FFL dealers) If enacted will add excessive requirements to both FFLs and DOJ, both of which will add to an already overloaded system thereby delaying transactions.

SB 452 (micro-stamping – its back!) Although the Attorney General (DOJ) has apparently abandoned the microstamping requirement for handguns to be considered safe, this bill seeks to re-instate the requirement commencing July 2027.

AB 733 (firearm sales by govt agency) This bill seeks to prohibit, with certain select exceptions, a government agency from selling firearms, ammunition, and body armor.

AB 1587 (firearm purchase tracking) This bill was originally introduced seeking to amend certain health and safety regulations/laws pertaining to housing, which was approved by the full Assembly 76-0. Upon being forwarded to the Senate, the bill was “gutted and amended” (i.e.- completely changed) now seeking to require that credit card companies institute a special designation (MCC code) for firearm related purchases in lieu of existing practice of designating them as simply “sporting goods.” Two things: 1.Clearly an attempt to track/record purchases along with other specific info; 2. completely circumvents the legislative process by by-passing the Assembly (although it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway, given the Assembly’s composition .

I’ll have another update at the end of July sometime after they recess.

-----Mike Ellias.