Portantino’s Key Gun Safety Bill Passes Senate Floor

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2023

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

Portantino’s Key Gun Safety Bill Passes Senate Floor

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bill 2, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate Floor today. The measure, sponsored by Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta, would implement significant improvements to California’s existing conceal-carry weapon (CCW) laws.  The Attorney General, Governor, and Senator partnered to create California’s response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for citizens to acquire these permits.    

“We are faced with the continued threat of mass shootings and a gun violence epidemic. With bold leadership on the issue of gun safety and reform, we can save lives,” stated Senator Portantino. “We need action, words are not enough. I am proud to be working with Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta and activists on SB 2 to strengthen our existing concealed carry laws and ensure every Californian is safe from gun violence.”

“California is laser-focused on doing everything in our power to protect our kids and safeguard our communities against gun violence,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “With a gun death rate 37% lower than the national average, we know our policies are working – but we can’t stop now. Passing Senate Bill 2 is essential to saving lives and making our neighborhoods safer.”

“Addressing gun violence is critical to protecting public safety,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde school shooting; an anniversary that shouldn’t have to be recognized because it should never have happened in the first place. Thoughts and prayers in response to gun violence will never be enough: We need brave action by our leaders — here in California and beyond. We owe our communities stronger protections. Senate Bill 2 will strengthen our concealed carry permit laws to help ensure that dangerous individuals may not carry guns in public — especially in sensitive places where our children gather — and prevent horrific tragedies that we have seen far too often. I thank the Senate for moving this bill forward and urge our state leaders to quickly adopt SB 2. We can’t afford to wait even one minute more.”

Specifically, SB 2 strengthens state law 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
• Advancing safety through stronger storage and training requirements on the proper handling, loading, unloading, and storage of firearms; limiting all CCW licensees to carrying no more than two firearms at any given time in public
• Safeguarding the public by identifying certain sensitive public places where guns may not be carried
• Including 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

“This bill is a crucial step in continuing to tackle gun violence in California,” said Renia Webb, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action.  “We are grateful for our gun sense champions and community partners who worked so hard to pass these comprehensive bills that seek to make our communities safer by strengthening our concealed carry laws that were weakened by a Supreme Court decision and target the root causes of gun violence. We look forward to continuing working with lawmakers to turn these bills into law and protect California families from the threat of gun violence.”

Senator Portantino has long been a champion of common-sense gun reform policies. During his time in the Assembly, he successfully banned the open carry of handguns and rifles in California 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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