Two legislative actions took effect this year that complicate the process for citizens to obtain concealed carry permits in California and have led to confusion, according to a local business owner.
The regulations made various statutory changes including increasing the training required, expanding the list of places CCW holders are prevented from carrying and set new requirements on the appearance and information provided on a permit. The regulations were in direct response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in New York Pistol and Rifle Association v Bruen. The ruling overturned regulations in New York that required a person to show cause for obtaining a permit.
California had a similar rule, so new regulations were crafted to address the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Court challenges to the law led to an injunction by the California Ninth Circuit on Jan. 1 that was overturned six days later by the Appeals Court allowing the law to go into effect. Current challenges to the law are ongoing but are not likely to result in a ruling until later this year according to Todd Cotta, owner of Kings Gun Center in Hanford.
“This impacts customers in many ways — one is time, another is money, and there is frustration for being punished over something they didn’t do,” Cotta said in an interview with The Hanford Sentinel. “CCW carriers as a rule are the most law-abiding and safest citizens in the nation, even compared to doctors, preachers and cops.”
Cotta added that when the law went into effect on Jan. 1, there was no way to certify instructors and classes were delayed several weeks as instructors met new requirements.
Hanford Chief of Police Stephanie Huddleston agreed, adding that she knew several former instructors that quit after the new law went into effect. She added that demand for permits has not changed.
“It hasn’t slowed down our process with issuing CCWs, people are still continuing to complete the classes and still continuing to apply,” Huddleston said in a telephone interview with The Hanford Sentinel. “I haven’t seen this affect the number of CCWs that we have issued.”
One change to previous laws that could have significant impacts is the expansion of places guns are banned. This now includes government buildings, banks, churches and numerous other locations. Cotta said the extent of locations that guns are banned makes it nearly impossible for concealed carry permit holders to exercise their rights. These locations have the right to opt-out by placing a sign at the door stating CCW holders are permitted to carry.
“With the churches, they put up a sign in the parking lot and on the front door saying that lawfully carrying firearms owners are allowed to enter the premises, what do you think the insurance adjuster is going to do the first time they see that sign? They are going to raise rates or cancel them altogether,” Cotta said.
The new restrictions expanded the amount of time a person must be in training to a minimum of 16 hours. Previously, it was up to 16 hours with most courses being held for eight hours. The expansion has led to increases in costs with some courses running more than $300. Rising costs have led to fewer new applicants, Cotta said.
“These laws only hurt the poor members of society, just like the minimum wage laws and the new taxes coming up, all these things only punish the poor because the people who can afford it, do it,” Cotta pointed out.
Gun violence by CCW holders is exceedingly rare. According to the Violence Policy Center: Concealed Carry Killers, just five homicides have been committed in California since 2009 by those with CCW licenses. The last time a homicide was committed by a CCW holder was in 2019. When asked how frequently law enforcement officers encounter problems with CCW holders, Huddleston said “not at all.”
“We have a great group of citizens that continue to comply with the law and do the training certifications and their shooting as required,” Huddleston said.
Where law enforcement has seen a growing problem in recent years is unlawful carry. Huddleston said that when she was a patrol officer, finding unlawfully carried guns was rare and a big deal, but it has now become a common problem. She added that homemade guns, often called ghost guns, have only made the problem worse.
The regulations were backed by several gun control advocacy groups including The Brady Campaign, Giffords Law Center, and Moms Who Demand Action. Current challenges to the new regulation are being led by the the California Rifle and Pistol Association.
