When the clock stuck midnight on September 30, Governor Jerry Brown made the last legislative decisions of his political career and left his mark as a solid anti-gun politician who was willing to throw us a bone now and again. This year was no different, as he stepped firmly into the anti-gun muck with the signing of bills to prohibit the sale of firearms to anyone under 21 and increased training before anyone can get a CCW. But he vetoed some bad ones, too – he rejected banning gun shows at the Cow Palace as well as the bill to put limitations on how many long guns we can guy per month. Here’s the final rundown, and what it means to the individual gun owner:

GOVERNOR BROWN SIGNED:

AB 2103 (Gloria – D) – Expands the course of concealed weapons training to at least 8 hours and further requires live-fire exercises conducted on a firing range. This places yet another obstacle in the path of CCW permitees.

SB 1100 (Portantino – D) – Bans the legal sale of long guns to anyone under 21. We believe the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens between the ages of 18 and 21 are violated in that those citizens are recognized by the federal government as members of the militia. The militia was specifically protected in the language of the Second Amendment. THE VETO OF THIS BILL OPENS A WIDE DOOR TO A LEGAL CHALLENGE.

SB 1200 (Skinner – D) – Expands the duties of law enforcement when serving a gun violence restraining order.

SB 1346 (Jackson – D) – Bans devices such as the bump fire stock (multi-burst trigger activator). This will have little “new” impact on Californians, because such devices have already been declared illegal by the California Attorney General.

Each bill will become effective January 1, 2019; the Governor made no specific “signing statements” on these legislative proposals.

GOVERNOR BROWN VETOED:

SB 221 (Wiener – D) – This sought to ban gun shows at the Cow Palace, a premier event center that has welcomed over 50 million visitors with a near-flawless record since it opened in 1941. In his veto message, the Governor stated “This bill has been vetoed twice over the last ten years, once by myself, and once by Governor Schwarzenegger. The decision on what kind of shows occur at the Cow Palace rests with the local board of directors which, incidentally, represents a broad cross section of the community. They are in the best position to make these decisions.”

SB 1177 (Portantino – D) – This bill would have expanded the “one handgun per month” limitation to all firearms. There is no data suggesting someone who purchases more than one gun of any kind per month is a danger to society or engaging in illicit activity, which may be why the Governor said, “I vetoed a substantially similar bill in 2016, and my views have not changed.”

“Just because Governor Jerry Brown is riding into the sunset and will never again have the chance to infringe on our Second Amendment rights, that doesn’t mean that the fight is over. We are in the middle of an epic election in California. If you think Jerry Brown was bad, Gavin Newsom – if elected – will make Brown look like a choirboy. Please take the time to learn more about John Cox, who is solid on the 2nd Amendment and is in a tough battle against Newsom for the Governorship.

The Legislature may have adjourned, but GOC will not let up through the Fall and upcoming holiday season. We will continue fighting like there is no tomorrow – because if the anti-gunners win, tomorrow could look pretty grim, and we don’t want that on our watch. We are, however, greatly encouraged by the multiple lawsuits currently making their way through the court process that seek to restore our rights in California, and even more are on the horizon. Our job isn’t over by a longshot.

Stay armed and informed, and thank you for standing with Gun Owners of California. We can’t do this alone!”

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