With the New Year now in full swing, are you up to date on the new California gun laws for 2014? These days gun laws are constantly changing; in fact, several new gun laws were recently signed into effect that you should know about. We won’t bore you with all the nitty gritty details, just give you a breakdown on the laws that are likely to affect you the most as a California gun owner.
First off, gun owners no longer need a “good cause” to obtain a conceal carry permit. This is a major change, previously California required gun owners to show a “good cause” for why they needed special protection. Federal court overturned this standard because it was seen as a violation of the 2nd Amendment. If you’re excited to run right out and snag your permit, you’re not the only one; be prepared for it to take awhile. According to Fox News, more than 500 applications poured in to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in just two weeks. This is roughly the total number of applications filed in all of 2013, a spokesman said.
If you’re curious about new regulations for registering your firearms, and you live in California, you’re in luck! California residents will not need to register their currently owned firearms. However, whenever a long gun is transferred through a dealer it will automatically be registered to the receiving individual (PC 11106 and 28160). It is important to note that this does not apply to individuals not currently residing in California. All individuals who move to California will need to register their long guns and handguns soon after moving into the state (PC 27560).
Another important law signed into effect this year is Penal Code section 25100 that states: With certain exceptions, if you keep a loaded firearm in your residence, and a person prohibited from possessing firearms gains access to the firearm and that person hurts him or herself, someone else or carries the firearm into a public place, you can be prosecuted. In addition, you can commit “criminal storage in the third degree” if you keep a loaded firearm within any premises where you know or should know a child is likely to gain access to the firearm.
Whether you think it’s harsh or not, it’s laws like this one that impress upon gun owners the necessity of owning a good quality gun safe. The consequences of not properly storing your guns are severe, so take the steps necessary to ensure your guns do not fall into the wrong hands. Interested in buying a gun safe, but don’t know where to start? Download our free Gun Safe Buying Guide. Also, visit our gun safe page here, to find a safe that’s just right for you! For a full breakdown on new gun laws visit the NRA website.