OAN’s Abril Elfi
2:11 PM – Wednesday, September 13, 2023
California lawmakers have approved legislation on concealed-carry weapon restrictions which could lead to a Supreme Court challenge.
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On Tuesday, California Senate Bill 2, which was introduced by State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Calif.) to limit who can carry firearms in public, was approved by lawmakers.
The bill was approved by a 28-8 vote in the state Senate, limiting who can receive a concealed-carry permit in California through an overhauled licensing process, additional age requirements, tight storage rules, and a list of dozens of “sensitive places” where firearms are not allowed.
According to reports, the revisions of the bill require concealed-carry applicants to be at least 21-years-old and to have completed at least 16 hours of weapon training. Applicants who are suspected to be dangerous may be disqualified.
Reports also state that licensing authorities, mostly county sheriff’s departments, would be entrusted with conducting in-person interviews with applicants, gathering character references, and monitoring their social media profiles to uncover potential safety issues.
The proposed bill also includes a ban on bringing guns into sensitive places which includes schools, courts, government buildings, prisons, hospitals, airports, and bars. Commercial businesses would reportedly be automatically gun-free zones unless the owner explicitly opts out.
Portantino introduced Senate Bill 2 in response to a Supreme Court ruling last year that declared restrictive and subjective concealed-carry laws unconstitutional, forcing California and a handful of other Democrat-led states to rewrite their gun laws.
The Court had decided in June 2022 to overturn New York’s “proper-cause” legislation, which required citizens to establish a specific necessity in order to carry a concealed weapon in public. The established legal precedent therefore weakened similar rules in California and other states that require people to disclose reasons for applying for a concealed-carry license.
“The Supreme Court forced California to reevaluate how we do concealed-carry permits,” Portantino said. “This is setting up a statewide standard to determine who should and shouldn’t be trusted with the responsibility of having a concealed-carry permit … this just makes sense.”
Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) released a statement after the law was approved by the legislature saying they are doing anything they can to make the Golden State safer.
The Democrat governor now has until October 14th to sign the bill.
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