FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2023
Washington, D.C. — Today, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) joined Gun Owners of California (GOC) and several other plaintiffs in filing a second lawsuit challenging California’s concealed carry statutes.
The state’s latest revisions to their unconstitutional concealed carry policies were passed in response to the Bruen decision (which ended the state’s draconian “may-issue” policy). Among other provisions, SB 2 would:
- Enact highly restrictive “sensitive locations” where concealed carrying would be prohibited, including all private property unless expressly permitted by the owner;
- Require 16 hours of training;
- Allow local authorities to require a psychiatric evaluation;
- And significantly increase the costs associated with securing a permit.
In September, GOA and GOF filed their first suit against the law, which specifically challenged the draconian “sensitive location” prohibitions. Today’s lawsuit challenges the psychiatric evaluation, excessive fees, and extensive wait times currently imposed by several local police departments on Californians trying to secure a permit.
In addition, the lawsuit challenges the fact that non-residents have no means to lawfully conceal carry in California, as there is neither reciprocity for other state permits nor a means for non-residents to secure a California issued permit.
California’s new law is similar in nature to the poorly named Concealed Carry Improvement Act in New York, which GOA and GOF are also actively litigating.
Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, issued the following statement:
“Governor Newsom isn’t shy about his hostility towards the right to keep and bear arms, having gone so far as to propose major changes via a Constitutional Amendment. Americans don’t support that, just like they don’t support handcuffing law-abiding citizens who simply want to protect themselves in the ever more dangerous world we live in. While the Governor wouldn’t admit it, that danger is most obvious in major metro-centers like LA and San Francisco, where he has utterly failed to reduce crime.”
Sam Paredes, on behalf of the board for GOF and in his role as the Executive Director of Gun Owners of California, added:
“Laws like SB2 only further embolden criminals in California, and the delays, fees, and psychiatric requirements imposed by local authorities are a blatant assault on one’s constitutional rights, as a right delayed is a right denied.”
GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.
-GOA-
