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ALERT To: All Members of the California State Assembly
From: Cory M. Salzillo, Legislative Director
Date: August 29, 2022
Re: Senate Bill 918 (Portantino) – OPPOSE
The California State Sheriffs’ Association (CSSA) is opposed to Senate Bill 918, which would impose significant new restrictions on the issuance of licenses to carry concealed firearms (CCW) and establish overly broad limitations on where and when a licensed individual may carry a concealed firearm.
We appreciate the work of the author and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ameliorate our concerns, but on balance, SB 918 creates more problems than it purports to solve. Overall, and despite the adoption of amendments, some of which came at our request, the bill remains a significant restriction on the ability of law-abiding citizens to be licensed to carry concealed.
The circumstance of a CCW holder committing a crime is exceedingly rare yet this bill imposes overreaching provisions that will likely be challenged in court, leaving uncertainty in issuance procedures.
Instead of focusing on a law-abiding population, efforts should address preventing gun crimes committed by those who disobey the law and holding them accountable.
To address the holding of the United States Supreme Court in Bruen, which struck down “good cause” requirements in CCW statutes, a bill could have been offered that simply eliminated that constitutionally infirm provision. Instead, SB 918 creates an unnecessarily complicated, burdensome, and overreaching licensing scheme that invites judicial scrutiny and seems destined to be struck down, in part or in whole.
The new workload resulting from vetting procedures and a codified judicial appellate process for persons denied a CCW license will burden issuing authorities, court officers, and the judiciary toward little to no increase in public safety.
SB 918 also fails to resolve the longstanding issue of not being able to record joint ownership of a firearm. By not accommodating persons who lawfully and jointly own a firearm to be able to list that same firearm on multiple CCWs, the law will likely encourage the proliferation of gun purchases.
Further, the bill greatly restricts when and where licensees may carry concealed and could severely restrict the exercising of the right. Again, individuals who go through the process to carry concealed legally are exceedingly unlikely to violate the law, yet SB 918 turns much of the state into “no-carry” zones that will do nothing to foster public safety.
Again, CSSA appreciates the willingness of the author and DOJ to hear our concerns, but for the reasons stated above, CSSA must respectfully request your NO vote on SB 918.
Organization Founded by the Sheriffs in 1894 California State Sheriffs’ Association
From: Cory M. Salzillo, Legislative Director
Date: August 29, 2022
Re: Senate Bill 918 (Portantino) – OPPOSE
The California State Sheriffs’ Association (CSSA) is opposed to Senate Bill 918, which would impose significant new restrictions on the issuance of licenses to carry concealed firearms (CCW) and establish overly broad limitations on where and when a licensed individual may carry a concealed firearm.
We appreciate the work of the author and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ameliorate our concerns, but on balance, SB 918 creates more problems than it purports to solve. Overall, and despite the adoption of amendments, some of which came at our request, the bill remains a significant restriction on the ability of law-abiding citizens to be licensed to carry concealed.
The circumstance of a CCW holder committing a crime is exceedingly rare yet this bill imposes overreaching provisions that will likely be challenged in court, leaving uncertainty in issuance procedures.
Instead of focusing on a law-abiding population, efforts should address preventing gun crimes committed by those who disobey the law and holding them accountable.
To address the holding of the United States Supreme Court in Bruen, which struck down “good cause” requirements in CCW statutes, a bill could have been offered that simply eliminated that constitutionally infirm provision. Instead, SB 918 creates an unnecessarily complicated, burdensome, and overreaching licensing scheme that invites judicial scrutiny and seems destined to be struck down, in part or in whole.
The new workload resulting from vetting procedures and a codified judicial appellate process for persons denied a CCW license will burden issuing authorities, court officers, and the judiciary toward little to no increase in public safety.
SB 918 also fails to resolve the longstanding issue of not being able to record joint ownership of a firearm. By not accommodating persons who lawfully and jointly own a firearm to be able to list that same firearm on multiple CCWs, the law will likely encourage the proliferation of gun purchases.
Further, the bill greatly restricts when and where licensees may carry concealed and could severely restrict the exercising of the right. Again, individuals who go through the process to carry concealed legally are exceedingly unlikely to violate the law, yet SB 918 turns much of the state into “no-carry” zones that will do nothing to foster public safety.
Again, CSSA appreciates the willingness of the author and DOJ to hear our concerns, but for the reasons stated above, CSSA must respectfully request your NO vote on SB 918.
Organization Founded by the Sheriffs in 1894 California State Sheriffs’ Association
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