Historic California Gun Safety Legislation Moves to Newsom’s Desk

Sacramento, CA — As the California legislature adjourns, GIFFORDS, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, applauds the passage of critical  gun safety legislation, including AB 28, which now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk. AB 28 is landmark legislation that would generate $160 million annually to fund gun violence intervention and prevention programs. 

“Enacting AB 28 would cement California’s role as the national leader in reducing gun violence. This critical legislation would further bring down the human toll of firearms violence and seriously invest in community-based programs to break the cycle of violence in California. This is a top priority for the gun violence prevention movement and we urge Governor Newsom to sign it into law.”

AB 28 would impose an 11% tax on the gun industry, which has enjoyed record profits, to fund street-level violence intervention programs, law enforcement efforts to remove guns from prohibited persons like felons (including those convicted of domestic violence) and school safety efforts—efforts the state budget does not support. The measure is modeled on a federal excise tax supported by the NRA for wildlife preservation. 

Other bills passed by the legislature being sent to Governor Newsom’s desk include:

• SJR 7 (Wahab) — This resolution requests Congress to call for a constitutional convention to propose a constitutional amendment affirming that federal, state, and local governments may adopt firearms regulations consistent with the Second Amendment, or impose national firearm regulations related to background checks, assault weapons, age limits, and waiting periods, or both of the above.
• SB 2 (Portantino) — This bill sets concealed-carry limits and standards in California, in response to a recent court decision invalidating a concealed carry law in the state of New York. 
• AB 92 (Connolly) — This bill would make it a misdemeanor for a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under the laws of this state to purchase, own, or possess body armor.
• AB 97 (Rodriquez) — This bill would, until January 1, 2033, require the Department of Justice to collect and report specified information, including, among other things, the number and disposition of arrests made for unserialized firearms.
• AB 762 (Wicks) — This bill makes technical changes to the CalVIP program, for which one-time funding has been fully expended.  Changes would apply prospectively if new funding were to be authorized. The most notable of these changes is that the bill would expand the CalVIP program to include counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence and to tribal governments. 
• AB 1089 (Gipson) — This bill makes technical clarifications to California’s “ghost guns” law.   Specifically, requires a state-license to manufacture guns from a 3D printer.  
• AB 1587 (Ting) — Beginning May 1, 2025, this bill requires assignment of a uniform merchant code for purchase of a firearm in California. 
• SB 452 (Blakespear) — After July 1, 2028, this bill requires microstamping as a condition of sale or transfer of semi-automatic pistols in California.
• AB 1598 (Berman) — This bill requires a “firearm certificate study safety guide” and a pamphlet on the risks and benefits of firearms be added to the existing safety certificate test already required in California.  

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