Today, July 19, the Assembly Appropriations Committee passed SB 464, which will now head to the Assembly floor and sent SB 497 to suspense file for consideration at a later date. Tomorrow, July 20, will be the last day of session before the Legislature will break for the summer recess before returning on August 21. AB 424 remains eligible for third reading and a vote on the Senate floor and SB 464 will be eligible for a vote when the legislature returns after the summer recess. Please use our TAKE ACTION button below to contact your state Senator and urge him/her to OPPOSE AB 424 and your Assembly Member to OPPOSE SB 464. For additional contact information for your Senator and Assembly Member please click here.
Assembly Bill 424, sponsored byAssembly Member Kevin McCarty (D-7), would remove the authority of a school district superintendent, his or her designee, or equivalent school authority to provide written permission for a person to possess a firearm within a school zone.
This is not the first attack on law-abiding citizens lawfully carrying their firearms in school zones. In 2015, AB 707 was signed into law which prohibited concealed carry permit holders from carrying and possession on K-12 and university grounds without written permission from the school authority. The question is – what have school authorities done to have this important decision-making power taken away from them? To our knowledge, there have been no incidents with persons lawfully carrying on school campuses.
Senate Bill 464, sponsored by Senator Jerry Hill (D-13) would further increase the mandatory storage and security requirements for licensed firearms dealers. California already has some of the strictest laws in the country regarding how dealers must store and secure firearms. This bill simply places more costs and mandates on law-abiding business owners.
Senate Bill 497, sponsored by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), would extend California’s one-handgun-a-month limitation to all guns. It is obvious this legislation is another attempt to place more barriers on those exercising their rights and does nothing to address the criminal misuse of firearms or firearm trafficking. Criminals who generally acquire their firearms through illicit means will continue to ignore California’s stringent laws including limitations on the number of firearms that can be acquired within a 30 day time period.
Please continue to check your inbox and the California Stand and Fight webpage for updates on issues impacting your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage in California.