California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed another sweeping package of gun control legislation, including a new law that will require many Californians to complete at least four hours of firearm training before obtaining a firearm safety certificate.
Newsom signed 10 firearm-related bills into law on September 26, covering everything from mandatory firearm training and expanded gun prohibitions to 3D printers, firearm trace data and protective orders.
The legislation represents some of Newsom’s final gun control actions before leaving the Governor’s office and adds another layer to California’s already extensive system of firearm regulations.
The measure receiving perhaps the most attention is Senate Bill 948.
Under SB 948, authored by Democratic state Sen. Jesse Arreguín of Berkeley, applicants seeking a California firearm safety certificate beginning January 1, 2029, will have to complete a training course of at least four hours within the previous year.
That training must include firearm safety and handling instruction as well as live-fire exercises at a shooting range.
Beginning in 2028, the law will also affect people moving into California with firearms. New residents bringing firearms into the state will generally be required to obtain a firearm safety certificate within 180 days of becoming a California resident.
California already requires people purchasing or receiving firearms to obtain a firearm safety certificate, which requires passing a written test. SB 948 therefore adds a mandatory training component to a system already in place.
Supporters of the proposal argue the additional requirements will ensure firearm owners receive safety instruction before acquiring a gun. But the new law also means Californians will face an additional prerequisite before they can exercise their Second Amendment rights.
And the training mandate isn’t the only significant new restriction Newsom signed.
Senate Bill 1220 adds another offense to California’s list of convictions that can trigger a decade-long prohibition on firearm possession.
Beginning with convictions on or after January 1, 2027, a person convicted of altering, removing or obliterating identifying information from a firearm — or possessing or dealing in a firearm whose identifying information has been altered or removed — will generally be prohibited from possessing or acquiring firearms for 10 years.
The underlying offense can be a misdemeanor, meaning certain misdemeanor convictions will now carry the additional consequence of losing the ability to possess or acquire firearms for a decade.
Another potentially far-reaching law doesn’t regulate only firearms. It could eventually regulate the 3D printers capable of producing them.
Assembly Bill 2047 directs the California Department of Justice to periodically determine whether ASTM International has developed industry standards for technology designed to prevent 3D printers from producing firearms.
If qualifying standards are adopted, California DOJ would then establish requirements governing the technology.
Under the enacted legislation, it would ultimately become unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or transfer for consideration in California a covered 3D printer that lacks firearm-blocking technology meeting the applicable standards.
There are exceptions, including certain printers used exclusively to manufacture props for the entertainment industry.
Supporters describe the measure as an attempt to address unserialized “ghost guns” before improvements in additive manufacturing make privately printed firearms increasingly accessible.
Newsom’s office specifically highlighted the legislation as part of its effort to address what it called “emerging threats” involving 3D-printed, illegally modified and unserialized firearms.
Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 1753, a broad measure changing California’s protective-order and firearm-surrender procedures.
The legislation contains numerous provisions governing protective orders and the enforcement of firearm prohibitions.
According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, AB 1753 also prevents people convicted of several offenses — including certain hate crimes, violations of gun violence or other protective orders, violations of firearm-related probation conditions and certain criminal threats against sensitive locations — from possessing firearms and ammunition for at least 10 years following conviction.
The law also changes procedures intended to identify firearms possessed by people subject to protective orders and facilitate their surrender.
Bonta and gun control organization GIFFORDS co-sponsored the legislation. They characterize the measure as closing enforcement gaps that can allow people subject to protective orders to retain access to firearms.
Assembly Bill 1743 takes a different approach.
California already collects information about firearms recovered after being illegally possessed, used in crimes or suspected of having been used in crimes.
AB 1743 expands and clarifies which institutions can request information used by the California Department of Justice to analyze patterns involving those recovered firearms.
Cities, counties, state government agencies, the University of California, California State University, and specified private California colleges and universities will be among the entities able to request the information under conditions established by the attorney general.
Supporters argue that expanded access will allow researchers and government agencies to better determine where recovered firearms originate and identify patterns involving particular manufacturers, dealers and geographic areas.
The expanded availability of firearm-trace information also raises questions about how such data will ultimately be used as California officials and researchers continue studying firearms, dealers and manufacturers.
Those measures are only part of the package.
Newsom also signed legislation creating a framework for voluntary temporary firearm storage with participating law-enforcement agencies, changing firearm-prohibition reporting requirements, providing services for young people exposed to gun violence and making other changes involving juveniles and firearm-related records.
Newsom defended the package as another step in California’s long-running effort to reduce firearm violence.
“Today’s laws continue that work — using data, prevention and proven tools to help keep firearms out of dangerous situations and support communities affected by violence,” Newsom said when announcing the legislation.
Gun control organizations including GIFFORDS, Brady, and Everytown praised the package.
Some of the new restrictions may ultimately face scrutiny in the courts.
California is already defending a number of its firearm restrictions in federal litigation, and the state’s ammunition-background-check requirements remain the subject of litigation in the Ninth Circuit.
For California gun owners, however, the immediate takeaway from Newsom’s latest actions is much broader than one new safety course.
The state has enacted another package of laws affecting who can possess firearms, how Californians qualify to acquire them, how firearm information can be shared, and even what technology future 3D printers may be required to contain.
Read more at Cal Matters.
