With the deadline looming to pass bills out of their respective chambers this legislative session, anti-gun lawmakers in the California House and Senate approved three anti-gun measures that would infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens while not affecting violent criminals.
Assembly 2917 was approved by the Assembly and now heads to the state Senate for consideration. The measure expands upon California’s existing Gun Violence Protective Order to allow the court to also consider “threats” directed towards a group or location when deciding whether to issue the order.
The measure also specifies: “While evidence of recent acquisitions is a factor the court may consider, the court may still issue a gun violence restraining order to temporarily prevent legal access to firearms even if the respondent does not own firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons at the time that the court is considering issuing a gun violence restraining order.”
Two Senate measures—Senate Bill 53 and Senate Bill 1253—were approved by that body and will now go to the Assembly for consideration.
SB 53 specifically prohibits firearm possession in the home unless the firearms are stored in a Department of Justice-approved locked box or safe that renders them inaccessible to anyone other than the owner. According to the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, this measure “ignores the U.S. Supreme Court decision in D.C. v. Heller, which argued that storage requirements that prevent gun owners from easily accessing their firearms are unconstitutional.”
A legislative summary of the measure states: “The bill would make a first violation of this offense punishable as an infraction, and a second or subsequent violation punishable as a misdemeanor. The bill would exempt firearms that are permanently inoperable from these provisions. The bill would require the Department of Justice to promptly engage in a public awareness and education campaign to inform residents about these standards for storage of firearms. The bill would additionally prohibit a person convicted under these provisions from owning, purchasing, receiving or possessing a firearm within one year of the conviction, as specified.”