On Monday, April 22 in Assembly Revenue & Taxation
Assembly Bill 18, sponsored by Assembly Member Marc Levine (D-10), would impose a $25 excise tax on a handgun, semiautomatic rifle or shotgun purchased as new from a retailer. AB 18 also creates the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Firearm Tax Fund, which the new excise tax will fund and the funds will be administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections, to award competitive grants for the purpose of violence intervention and prevention. AB 18 passed the Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee and is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 1.
On Monday, April 22 in Senate Appropriations Committee
Senate Bill 61, sponsored by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), would expand California’s one handgun a month law to apply to all firearms. SB 61 was sent to the Senate Appropriations Suspense file to be heard at a later date.
Senate Bill 220, 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. SB 220 was sent to the Senate floor and is eligible for a vote at any time.
On Monday, April 22 in Senate Human Services
Senate Bill 172, sponsored by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), would expand California's existing storage laws. SB 172 passed the Senate Human Services Committee and has been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
On Tuesday, April 23 in Assembly Public Safety
Assembly Bill 61, sponsored by Assembly Member Philip Ting (D-19), would expand the list of those eligible to file “gun violence” restraining orders (GVRO) beyond the currently authorized reporters which include immediate family and law enforcement. The new list is expanded to employers, coworkers and employees of a secondary or postsecondary school that the person has attended in the last 6 months. GVRO’s can remove a person’s Second Amendment Rights, not based on criminal convictions or mental adjudications, but based on third party allegations often without due process until weeks after a person’s rights have been suspended. AB 61 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee and is eligible for a vote on the Assembly floor at any time.
On Tuesday, April 23 in Senate Public Safety
Senate Bill 120, sponsored by Senator Henry Stern (D-27), would expand the penalties for violations of California's transportation laws, including in vehicles or on a person. The penalties include a 10 year prohibition on firearm ownership and the ability to charge the violations as a misdemeanor or felony. SB 120 passed the Senate Public Safety Committee and has been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 281, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-11), would prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Cow Palace on and after January 1, 2020. SB 281 passed the Senate Public Safety Committee and is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 6.
On Wednesday, April 24 in Assembly Appropriations
Assembly Bill 879, sponsored by Assembly Member Mike Gipson (D-64), would require precursor firearms parts to be sold/transferred through a licensed precursor parts dealer in a similar process to the new laws regarding ammunition purchases. It would further create a new crime for transfer of precursor parts without the involvement of a licensed precursor parts dealer to anyone under 21 years of age or prohibited from owning firearms. Precursor parts include items such as unfinished frames and upper receivers. AB 879 was sent to the Assembly Appropriations Suspense file to be considered at a later date.
Assembly Bill 1669, sponsored by Assembly Member Rob Bonta (D-18), would raise the DROS fees paid by consumers when purchasing firearms and to vastly expand the scope of how these monies can be utilized by the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The DROS account at times has generated a massive surplus at times, so much so that tens of millions of dollars have been utilized to fund other DOJ programs including a $24 million dollar loan to the Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS) just a few short years ago. This legislation appears nothing more than an effort to put more cost constraints on gun owners to foot the bill for the massive cost pressures the legislature has put on DOJ in the recent years including ammunition background checks and long gun registration to name a few. AB 1669 passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is eligible for a vote on the Assembly floor at any time.
On Wednesday, April 24 in Assembly Insurance
Assembly Bill 1602, sponsored by Assembly Member Evan Low (D-7), would limit the ability of insurance companies to provide liability protections for firearm owners beyond loss of property or damage other than commercial policies. AB 1602 passed the Assembly Insurance Committee and is eligible for a vote on the Assembly floor at any time.
On the Assembly floor:
Assembly Bill 1297, sponsored by Assembly Member Kevin McCarty (D-7), would remove the maximum fee a local authority can charge on the concealed carry permit application. AB 1297 is still eligible for a vote on the Assembly at any time.
Assembly Bill 893, sponsored by Assembly Member Todd Gloria (D-78), would prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Del Mar fairgrounds located in the 22nd District Agricultural Association on and after January 1, 2021. AB 893 passed the Assembly and has been sent to the Senate.
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.
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