Portantino Continues to Lead on California Firearm Safety Policy as Safe Storage Bill Passes Senate Public Safety Committee
For Immediate Release: January 9, 2024
Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400
Portantino Continues to Lead on California Firearm Safety Policy as Safe Storage Bill Passes Senate Public Safety Committee
Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 53, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate Public Safety Committee today. The bill expands existing firearm safe storage laws by creating barriers to suicide, unintentional shootings, and theft. Senator Portantino was the author of California’s landmark safe storage law in 2019.
“Safely storing your firearm is commonsense public safety policy and should not be partisan. Safe storage is proven to reduce firearm injuries and I’m pleased to be tightening California’s existing law,” stated Senator Portantino. “SB 53 does not infringe upon an individual’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in the home. Rather, it ensures that a firearm is stored in a manner that will prevent unintentional firearm injuries and protect Californians in the home and deter violence in public. It will unequivocally save lives.”
Death by firearm is the number one cause of death for children in the United States. States that have safe storage laws have seen a 78 percent drop in unintentional shootings committed by children compared to states that do not have safe storage laws in place. Additionally, firearms are the most lethal method used in suicide deaths, with a fatality rate of approximately 90%. As mentioned above, Senator Portantino authored SB 172 - California’s original safe storage law in 2019. SB 53 builds on that effort and will make Californians even more safe. President Biden has called for a national safe storage law as well.
SB 53 prohibits a person from keeping or storing a firearm in a residence unless the firearm is stored in a DOJ-approved locked box or safe. Under this bill, a violation results in an infraction for the first offense and a misdemeanor for a second and subsequent offense and subjects the violator to a one-year ban on the purchase and possession of a firearm.
“When guns end up in the wrong hands – whether it be by a child, a person in crisis, or a thief – tragedy is on the horizon. All too often unsecured firearms are to blame for mass shootings, homicides, unintentional shootings, and firearm suicides.” stated Kris Brown, President of Brady. “Safe storage can prevent these tragedies before they strike. California has long been a leader in gun violence prevention, and SB 53 will take the Golden State one step further by ensuring that all gun owners safely store their firearms. Brady is grateful to Senator Portantino for his unwavering commitment to freeing California 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 school 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. Last year, he partnered with Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta to enact SB 2, which implements significant improvements to strengthen California’s existing concealed-carry weapon (CCW) laws.
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