Governor Newsom Signs Comprehensive Safe Gun Storage Bill Authored by Senator Portantino

Thursday, October 17 2019

Sacramento, California – SB 172 became the third important gun safety measure authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom this year.  SB 172 enacts a slate of significant provisions related to firearms storage by broadening criminal storage crimes, adding criminal storage offenses to those offenses that can trigger a 10-year firearm ban, and creating an exemption to firearm loan requirements for the purposes of preventing suicide.   In addition, SB 172 resolves the problem of unsafe gun storage in residential care facilities.   It also builds on the legacy of Senator Portantino’s predecessor Jack Scott, who championed safe gun storage issues while in the Legislature.

 

The vast majority of accidental firearm death, suicide and senseless acts of violence amongst children are associated with easy access to firearms. Additionally, unsafe storage puts guns in the wrong hands and far too often leads to potentially deadly situations. A recent shooting in a Sacramento senior care facility highlighted the need to enact sensible rules regarding our senior population and the facilities they enter after leaving their homes for retirement and care.  

“Children are far too often put in jeopardy when they are in homes that practice unsafe gun storage and our growing senior population is generating gun safety issues as it transitions into group care.  These situations have created an urgent situation where all aspects of residential storage need stronger and contemporary regulations. Both younger and older residents need to be protected from inadvertent gun violence and I am very pleased that this needed and common-sense effort is now law,” commented Senator Portantino.

Improper storage of firearms in the home are killing our youth and additionally pose serious risk to approximately 200,000 residents of California’s 7,300 assisted living facilities.  Assisted living facilities are allowed by the state to accept and retain firearms, along with accepting many residents having mild to severe cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. Characteristics of the cognitively impaired include paranoia, confusion, and anger.  Having unsecured firearms in proximity to dementia residents is a dangerous risk. With 70% of assisted living residents having some level of dementia, firearms pose significant risk for everyone in the assisted living setting, so this bill proactively prevents a tragedy.

The Senator is proud to continue championing sensible gun reforms. SB 172 finishes another strong year for Senator Portantino in this regard. This session, the Senator had already had the governor sign SB 61 to cap the sale of semi-automatic, center-fire rifles to one a month and ban the sale of them to those under 21 and SB 376 which redefined the definition of infrequent in dealing with gun sales. In his career, the Senator has also banned open carry in California as well as raise the purchasing age on long guns to 21.

SB 172 bill is supported by the Bay Area Student Activists, Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform, the County of Los Angeles, Drain the NRA, and Elder Law and Advocacy.