California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept.24, 2024, signed 24 new bills to further California’s gun laws in an effort to prevent traumatic incidents of mass violence.
Of the gun control measures signed into law, these were included
- Assembly Bill 1252 by Assemblyman Buffy Wicks – Organizes the Attorney General’s gun-ban-advocating Office of Gun Violence Prevention; The NRA-ILA said supporters argue the goal is to conduct “research,” the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the newly formed Commission end up promoting gun control policies with taxpayer funding
- AB 2642 by Assemblyman Marc Berman – Creates a legal presumption that a person who openly carries a firearm – real or fake – while near election-related activities would be presumed to have “engaged in prohibited intimidation”
- AB 2917 by Assemblyman. Rick Chavez Zbur – Expands California’s existing “red flag” gun seizure law to make it easier for a court to issue such orders. The NRA-ILA states that red flag Gun Violence Protective Orders impose a five-year firearms ban, renewable without end, stripping citizens of their rights and property without clear evidence or due process.
- Senate Bill 53 by Senator Anthony Portantino – Starting January 1, 2026, this bill will require individuals to securely store firearms in their residences when they are not being carried or actively controlled by the owner or another authorized user.
- SB 1002 by Senator Catherine Blakespear – Bans the possession of ammunition for individuals already subject to some mental illness-related firearms prohibitions and authorizes search warrants for compliance. California Attorneys for Criminal Justice opposed the measure
“California won’t wait until the next school or mass shooting to act,” Newsom stated on his website.“With no action from Congress, our state is once again taking the lead by reinforcing our top-ranked gun laws.”
California’s history of gun violence prevention
California has led the way in enacting laws against gun violence. According to the article and a fact sheet with new findings from the California Department of Justice “ California gun safety laws save lives”. California is ranked first in gun safety and experienced a gun death rate 43% lower than the national average.
In states like Texas and Florida who are ranked 31st and 24th respectively in gun law strength had 1.5 times higher firearm mortality rates than California. By 2022, California had the 7th lowest gun death rate in the country.
Michael Arredondo can be reached at [email protected]
