California Trying to Illegally Restrict Concealed Carry Weapons Permits

Despite being rebuked by the highest court in the country over gun control attempts last year, California Democrats continue to tell the people through shady legislation that you can’t defend yourself with a firearm… or at least they will limit who can carry, and where you can carry.

The June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court issued a critical decision in New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen striking down a New York gun law that put unconstitutional restrictions on concealed carry of a gun out in public. And because this is the law of the land, California with its extremely restrictive gun laws, was put on notice.

Last year, Senator Anthony J. Portantino’s (D–Burbank) annual gun control legislation restricting CCW permit holders, Senate Bill 918, appeared to be dead as it was placed on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee – until he it moved out with 32 pages of 185 new amendments. However, SB 918 died in the Assembly.

“We are faced with the continued threat of mass shootings and a gun violence epidemic,” Portantino says.

Portantino came back in 2023 with Senate Bill 2, also sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, which was just passed by the Senate Thursday. SB 2 will again illegally impose restrictions on those seeking a California CCW permit.

Notably, Newsom, Bonta and Portantino know they are imposing to restrict those applying for CCWs, when virtually no crimes are committed by CCW holders, who are required to pass background checks by County Sheriffs.

One gun expert told the Globe, “CCW permit holders don’t commit mass shootings, they stop them.”

Also notable, there is no data behind this bill – the crime statistics do not support Portantino’s assertion.

In an interview with former Sheriff Scott Jones on KFBK radio Friday morning, Jones said during his tenure as Sheriff, he authorized the issuance of 13,000 CCWs in Sacramento County, and never revoked one for CCW-related conduct. He said allowing the counties and agencies is the proper way to operate, rather than imposing a statewide mandate.

Sen. Portantino offers this word salad about his bill: It “would implement significant improvements to California’s existing conceal-carry weapon (CCW) laws. The Attorney General, Governor, and Senator partnered to create California’s response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for citizens to acquire these permits.”

Gun Owners of California has a very important position, and far more realistic than Portantino’s: “it is utterly useless to mention deaths by firearms without acknowledging the skyrocketing crime rate in much of the state.  It is also useless to focus on why we must further restrict gun ownership while blowing off what has happened in the aftermath of felony early releases, subsequent recidivism (43% are reconvicted within 3 years of release), not to mention the overwhelming repercussions of COVID lockdowns. These are all factors that must be considered in the whole – each of which has happened under Newsom’s watch.”

“With bold leadership on the issue of gun safety and reform, we can save lives,” Sen. Portantino said. “We need action, words are not enough. I am proud to be working with Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta and activists on SB 2 to strengthen our existing concealed carry laws and ensure every Californian is safe from gun violence.”

“California is laser-focused on doing everything in our power to protect our kids and safeguard our communities against gun violence,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “With a gun death rate 37% lower than the national average, we know our policies are working – but we can’t stop now. Passing Senate Bill 2 is essential to saving lives and making our neighborhoods safer.”

“Addressing gun violence is critical to protecting public safety,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde school shooting; an anniversary that shouldn’t have to be recognized because it should never have happened in the first place. Thoughts and prayers in response to gun violence will never be enough: We need brave action by our leaders — here in California and beyond. We owe our communities stronger protections. Senate Bill 2 will strengthen our concealed carry permit laws to help ensure that dangerous individuals may not carry guns in public — especially in sensitive places where our children gather — and prevent horrific tragedies that we have seen far too often. I thank the Senate for moving this bill forward and urge our state leaders to quickly adopt SB 2. We can’t afford to wait even one minute more.”

Senate Bill 2 would have had no impact on the Uvalde School shooting.

Sen. Portantino claims “SB 2 strengthens state law” by:

• Ensuring those carrying firearms in public are responsible, law-abiding citizens who do not pose a danger to themselves or others
• Protecting children and young adults from gun violence by setting a minimum age requirement of 21 years of age to obtain a CCW license
• Advancing safety through stronger storage and training requirements on the proper handling, loading, unloading, and storage of firearms; limiting all CCW licensees to carrying no more than two firearms at any given time in public
• Safeguarding the public by identifying certain sensitive public places where guns may not be carried
• Including due process protections to allow anyone denied a CCW license based on a finding that they are not qualified to carry firearms in public to a hearing before a superior court judge

Gun Owners of California also points out:

In fact, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, “compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, homicides jumped by 41.2% and aggravated assaults by 18.0%. Gun-related homicides and aggravated assaults surged by 52% and 64%.”  This does not happen in a vacuum, and yet, the push for more restrictions on the private ownership of firearms continues to grow.  Again and again, we hear the drivel about “weapons of war” and “high-capacity magazines” from Leftist politicians and a lazy media that has no interest in fact-checking their own content.  It would do a lot for their credibility for both to acknowledge the facts about what kinds of guns are most commonly used in crimes, as well as the proven ineffectiveness of bans on so-called “assault weapons” and limitations on magazine sizes.  Magazines with a capacity of more than ten rounds are standard (not in California) with most semiautomatic rifles and pistols sold. Millions of these magazines are safely and responsibly owned and used by law-abiding Americans. And all the while, Governor Newsom is wringing his hands at Congress and those of us on the other side for “not giving a damn.” 

California Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, are part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, founded by Michael Bloomberg, a notorious gun control advocate, back SB 2. (according to “Bloomberg launches new $50 million gun control effort”. The Washington Post)

They claim SB 2 is “common-sense gun safety legislation,” and will “strengthen California’s gun safety laws” after they were “threatened” by the Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling.

Gun Owners of California adds, “Targeting the good guys won’t stop the bad guys.”