Governor Signs Portantino’s Historic Gun Safety Bill Regulating Gun Permits in California

For Immediate Release: September 26, 2023

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

Governor Signs Portantino’s Historic Gun Safety Bill Regulating Gun Permits in California

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 2, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), was signed today by Governor Newsom. The law implements significant improvements to strengthen California’s concealed gun permit law, commonly called CCWs. SB 2 is sponsored by Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta. Both worked collaboratively with the Senator to craft California’s response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for citizens to acquire CCW permits.

“I am grateful for Governor Newsom’s bold leadership on gun safety and thank him for signing SB 2,” stated Senator Portantino. “I was proud to partner with the Governor, Attorney General Bonta, and amazing grassroots activists across California on this needed effort to strengthen our existing concealed permit laws and to ensure that Californians are made safer from gun violence. SB 2 is constitutional and consistent with the Supreme Court’s guidance in the Bruen decision. When SB 2 is implemented, it will certainly increase public safety and I believe save lives.”

Specifically, SB 2 strengthens state gun safety by:

• Ensuring those carrying firearms in public are responsible, law-abiding citizens who do not pose a danger to themselves or others;
• Protecting children and young adults from gun violence by setting a minimum age requirement of 21 years of age to obtain a CCW license;

“While radical judges continue to strip away our ability to keep people safe, California will keep fighting — because gun safety laws work. The data proves they save lives: California’s gun death rate is 43% lower than the rest of the nation,” stated Governor Newsom.

In addition, SB 2 provisions include:

• Advance safety through stronger storage and training requirements on the proper handling, loading, unloading, and storage of firearms;
• Safeguard the public by identifying certain sensitive public places where guns may not be carried;
• Include due process protections to allow anyone denied a CCW license based on a finding that they are not qualified to carry firearms in public to a hearing before a superior court judge.

“Addressing gun violence is critical to protecting public safety; we cannot pretend that they are distinct problems,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “In California, we won’t settle for inaction when it comes to saving lives. Senate Bill 2 will help prevent violence by ensuring that dangerous individuals may not carry concealed guns in public and prohibiting the carry of dangerous weapons in sensitive places where our children gather. With this law, we are boldly advancing California’s successful, data-driven strategy to prevent gun violence and save lives. I sponsored Senate Bill 2 to provide stronger protections for our communities, and am grateful for the partnership demonstrated by author Senator Portantino and our Governor as together we enact this law to better protect California residents.”

“Today’s signage illustrates the fierce commitment to gun violence in California,” stated Kris Brown, President of Brady. “The Golden State has a legacy of having a strong concealed carry license system, but the Supreme Court’s misguided Bruen decision undermined the efficacy of this life-saving apparatus. Understanding the potential risk to Californians, Senator Portantino set out to fortify and update the system and to ensure firearms are not allowed in sensitive places – like schools or health care facilities – prioritizing health and safety for all. Brady is grateful to Senator Portantino, Governor Newson, and all co-sponsors for their work on this.”

“Today California renews its commitment to keeping our children and communities safe from gun violence,” said Lisa Henry, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “While the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the gun lobby, our grassroots army in lockstep with our gun-sense lawmakers got to work to keep guns out of places we all agree they simply shouldn’t be. We look forward to continuing to work together to make California communities safer from gun violence.”

Senator Portantino has long been a champion of common-sense gun reform policies. During his time in the Assembly, he successfully authorized local governments to prohibit the open carry of handguns and rifles in certain areas and as Senator, he raised the firearm purchase age in California to twenty-one. The Senator has authored legislation related to firearms storage and gun purchase safeguards, as well as a legislation that reduces the number of firearms an unlicensed individual is annually able to sell and the frequency with which they are able to sell. Most recently, he authored legislation aimed at preventing tragic schools shootings and a major gun reform measure that offers a new tool to combat the rise in gun violence and save lives – a private right of action.

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