Senate Bill No. 61
Chapter 737
SB 61, Portantino. Firearms: transfers.
Existing law, subject to exceptions, prohibits a person from making more than one application to purchase a handgun within any 30-day period. A violation of that prohibition is a crime. Existing law prohibits a firearms dealer from delivering a handgun to a person whenever the dealer is notified by the Department of Justice that within the preceding 30-day period the purchaser has made another application to purchase a handgun that does not fall within an exception to the 30-day prohibition. A violation of that delivery prohibition by the dealer is a crime.
This bill would, effective July 1, 2021, make the 30-day prohibition and the dealer delivery prohibition described above also applicable to semiautomatic centerfire rifles.
Existing law prohibits a licensed firearm dealer from selling a firearm to a person under 21 years of age. Existing law provides an exemption to this prohibition for the sale of a firearm, other than a handgun, to a person 18 years of age or older who has a valid hunting license, is a law enforcement officer, as specified, or is an honorably discharged member of the Armed Forces. Existing law makes a violation of this prohibition a crime.
This bill would prohibit the sale of a semiautomatic centerfire rifle to any person under the age of 21, except a law enforcement officer or active duty member of the Armed Forces, as specified.
The bill would state that its provisions are severable.
By expanding the scope of existing crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 26835 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 645 and SB 172 to be operative only if this bill and AB 645, SB 172, or both are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Section 1. Section 26835
(1) “FIREARMS MUST BE HANDLED RESPONSIBLY AND SECURELY STORED TO PREVENT ACCESS BY CHILDREN AND OTHER UNAUTHORIZED USERS. CALIFORNIA HAS STRICT LAWS PERTAINING TO FIREARMS, AND YOU MAY BE FINED OR IMPRISONED IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THEM. VISIT THE WEB SITE OF THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL AT HTTPS://OAG.CA.GOV/FIREARMS FOR INFORMATION ON FIREARM LAWS APPLICABLE TO YOU AND HOW YOU CAN COMPLY.”
(2) “IF YOU KEEP A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN ANY PREMISES UNDER YOUR CUSTODY OR CONTROL, AND A PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OBTAINS IT AND USES IT, RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH, OR CARRIES IT TO A PUBLIC PLACE, YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR OR A FELONY UNLESS YOU STORED THE FIREARM IN A LOCKED CONTAINER OR LOCKED THE FIREARM WITH A LOCKING DEVICE, TO KEEP IT FROM TEMPORARILY FUNCTIONING.”
(3) “CHILDREN MAY BE UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH FIREARMS FROM TOYS AND MAY OPERATE FIREARMS, CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES OR DEATH. IF YOU KEEP A PISTOL, REVOLVER, OR OTHER FIREARM CAPABLE OF BEING CONCEALED UPON THE PERSON, WITHIN ANY PREMISES UNDER YOUR CUSTODY OR CONTROL, AND A PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE GAINS ACCESS TO THE FIREARM, AND CARRIES IT OFF-PREMISES, YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR, UNLESS YOU STORED THE FIREARM IN A LOCKED CONTAINER, OR LOCKED THE FIREARM WITH A LOCKING DEVICE, TO KEEP IT FROM TEMPORARILY FUNCTIONING.”
(4) “YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT FINE OR IMPRISONMENT, IF YOU KEEP A FIREARM WHERE A MINOR IS LIKELY TO ACCESS IT OR IF A MINOR OBTAINS AND IMPROPERLY USES IT, OR CARRIES IT OFF OF THE PREMISES TO A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED EVENT, UNLESS YOU STORED THE FIREARM IN A LOCKED CONTAINER OR LOCKED THE FIREARM WITH A LOCKING DEVICE.”
(5) “IF YOU NEGLIGENTLY STORE OR LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN ANY PREMISES UNDER YOUR CUSTODY OR CONTROL, WHERE A PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE IS LIKELY TO ACCESS IT, YOU MAY BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT FINE, UNLESS YOU STORED THE FIREARM IN A LOCKED CONTAINER, OR LOCKED THE FIREARM WITH A LOCKING DEVICE.”
(6) “DISCHARGING FIREARMS IN POORLY VENTILATED AREAS, CLEANING FIREARMS, OR HANDLING AMMUNITION MAY RESULT IN EXPOSURE TO LEAD, A SUBSTANCE KNOWN TO CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS, REPRODUCTIVE HARM, AND OTHER SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY. HAVE ADEQUATE VENTILATION AT ALL TIMES. WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER EXPOSURE.”
(7) “FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROVIDE THAT IF YOU DO NOT TAKE PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THE FIREARM THAT YOU ARE ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP OF WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE INITIAL BACKGROUND CHECK PAPERWORK, THEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND CHECK PROCESS A SECOND TIME IN ORDER TO TAKE PHYSICAL POSSESSION OF THAT FIREARM.”
(8) “NO PERSON SHALL MAKE AN APPLICATION TO PURCHASE MORE THAN ONE PISTOL, REVOLVER, OR OTHER FIREARM CAPABLE OF BEING CONCEALED UPON THE PERSON WITHIN ANY 30-DAY PERIOD AND NO DELIVERY SHALL BE MADE TO ANY PERSON WHO HAS MADE AN APPLICATION TO PURCHASE MORE THAN ONE PISTOL, REVOLVER, OR OTHER FIREARM CAPABLE OF BEING CONCEALED UPON THE PERSON WITHIN ANY 30-DAY PERIOD.”
(9) “IF A FIREARM YOU OWN OR POSSESS IS LOST OR STOLEN, YOU MUST REPORT THE LOSS OR THEFT TO A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHERE THE LOSS OR THEFT OCCURRED WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF THE TIME YOU KNEW OR REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE FIREARM HAD BEEN LOST OR STOLEN.”
