Firearms.

Assembly Member Berman, with coauthor Senator Blakespear, advances a comprehensive firearms-safety package that broadens licensure standards, expands disqualification criteria, and tightens controls on purchases and transport, applying these changes to both resident and nonresident license applicants.

The bill would expand who may be disqualified from receiving or renewing a license to carry a concealed firearm by adding disqualifying factors drawn from other states or federal law within the prior decade, including comparable criminal offenses, unlawful use or addiction to controlled substances, and certain kinds of court orders. Licensing authorities would be required to review whether an applicant is reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others using data from the California Restraining and Protective Order System, and to submit relevant disqualifying information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System within a tight timeframe. Applicants who provide inaccurate or incomplete information could be denied or have their license revoked, and licensees would be obligated to inform the licensing authority of any restraining orders or arrests that could affect eligibility. For a subset of orders, prior notice to the subject would determine whether an exemption applies.

For non‑California residents, the bill imposes additional requirements: attestations that the jurisdiction where they applied is the primary California travel location, completion of live‑fire training for each firearm, and identification of each pistol, revolver, or firearm proposed for carry. Online training would be permitted under certain conditions, and a training course approved by a different licensing authority could be used if the applying authority has not approved online courses. Psychological assessments related to initial applications could be conducted virtually or with a provider within 75 miles of the applicant’s residence. The licensing process would involve enhanced DOJ fingerprinting and eligibility determinations, and renewal procedures would be adjusted so that certain notice timelines apply to renewals submitted after a specified date.

The bill also reconfigures firearm-purchasing limits and related enforcement: beginning in 2026, the allowable number of firearms an individual can apply to purchase within any 30-day period would rise from one to three, with dealer delivery prohibited if the purchase would rise above that 3‑firearm total in the prior 30 days. Provisions governing warning notices and related display requirements would apply to dealers, including new conspicuous postings and signage about safe storage, child access, suicide prevention, and related legal responsibilities; one set of warnings would be operative for a limited period. In addition, a number of transit and public-venue provisions would restrict possession of firearms in public transit facilities, with specific exemptions for law enforcement and certain secure transport scenarios, and explicit allowances for transporting an unloaded firearm in a locked container under defined circumstances.

From a broader policy perspective, the changes introduce a state‑mandated local program for enhanced licensing activities, codify more data sharing with national background systems, and rely on updated review mechanisms to assess risk while expanding both residency and nonresident licensing requirements. The measure incorporates transitional dates for operative provisions, defines new reporting and recordkeeping duties, and includes severability language along with provisions regarding reimbursement for mandated costs. These elements collectively situate the bill within ongoing efforts to align California’s firearm licensing and enforcement framework with expanded background-check capabilities and evolving public-safety considerations.