Governor Newsom Takes Action to Strengthen California’s Gun Safety Laws

Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta, and Senator Portantino Announce Legislation to Strengthen California’s Public Carry Laws in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling. California’s Gun Safety Laws Lead to a 37% Lower Gun Death Rate than the U.S. Average.

By Desert Star Staff SACRAMENTO – In

the wake of multiple mass shootings that took the lives of 19 Californians in just 72 hours last week, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) announced new gun safety legislation to modernize and strengthen California’s public carry laws.

“Only in America do we see the kind of carnage and chaos of gun violence that destroys our communities and sense of safety and belonging,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “America is number 1 in gun ownership, and we far surpass every developed nation in gun deaths – it’s not complicated.

In California, we’ve passed common sense gun safety laws, which work: we have a 37% lower gun death rate than the national average. We’re doubling down on gun safety and strengthening our public carry law to protect it from radical Republican attacks.”

WHY

IT’S IMPORTANT:

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law, aspects of which mirrored California’s public carry laws, and the legislation announced today – Senate Bill 2 by Senator Portantino – would make fixes necessary to update the standards and processes for obtaining a public carry permit in California.

WHAT THE LEGISLATION DOES:

Senate Bill 2 strengthens California’s restrictions regarding public carry laws by: Enhancing the existing licensing system – ensuring those permitted to carry firearms in public are responsible and law-abiding individuals; Protecting children – setting a minimum age requirement of 21 years of age to obtain a CCW license; Advancing more robust training requirements – ensuring proper handling, loading, unloading, and storage of firearms; and Identifying certain sensitive public places – establishing safe community places where people should expect freedom from gun violence.