Why It Matters: After a month-long recess, California is back in session for August before adjourning on August 31. With only a few weeks remaining in the legislative session, lawmakers will make final decisions on several bills that could significantly impact California’s sportsmen and women. From firearm regulations to hunter safety and forest management, these proposals represent important policy priorities for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF). Many key bills are scheduled for appropriations hearings this week.
Highlights:
- Senate Bill 948 (SB 948) would require individuals purchasing, selling, or transferring firearms to complete an eight-hour firearm training course that includes live-fire instruction.
- Assembly Bill 1912 (AB 1912) would allow bowhunters to carry a concealed firearm while archery hunting during deer season.
- Assembly Bill 2494, (AB 2494) “State Forests: Forest Management,” would change the purpose and funding structure of State Demonstration Forests.
Several important bills affecting California’s sporting community continue to move through the Legislature as the session nears its conclusion. Among them is SB 948, which would expand the requirements to purchase, sell, or transfer a firearm in California by mandating that individuals complete an eight-hour firearm training course, including live-fire instruction, beginning July 1, 2028. Currently, individuals seeking to purchase, sell, or transfer a firearm in California must possess a valid hunting license or provide proof of completion of an approved firearm safety course. This bill would also prohibit individuals moving to California from bringing firearms into the state if they did not obtain a valid firearm safety certificate within 60 days of establishing residency. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation submitted written testimony in opposition to SB 948 in the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The bill is currently awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 5.
AB 1912 was introduced by Assemblymember Heather Hadwick and coauthored by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Co-Chair Senator Dave Cortese. The bill would authorize any licensed hunter to carry a concealed firearm while archery hunting deer, while explicitly prohibiting the use of that firearm to take deer. The change enhances personal safety without compromising the traditional character of archery seasons. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation strongly supports AB 1912 in accordance with our longstanding policy in favor of allowing handgun carry while archery hunting. Across the country, 37 states already permit this important safety practice. Bowhunters are at a distinct disadvantage when facing threats from large predators such as mountain lions, bears, or other wildlife, and limiting their ability to defend themselves puts lives at risk unnecessarily. CSF submitted a letter of support for this bill, and it is currently on the Senate consent calendar.
The “State Forests: Forest Management” bill (Assembly Bill 2494) would restrict timber management to ostensibly promote biodiversity and carbon mitigation goals. On April 10, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter urging the State Assembly Appropriations Committee to table the legislation. While, on its face, the intent of Assembly Bill 2494 is to prioritize ecological management over commercial timber management on Demonstration State Forests, CSF is concerned that the bill would undermine the purpose of Demonstration State Forests, restricting sustainable forest management on state lands that are specifically set aside for natural resources research and public education about forest management. AB 2494 is currently up for a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 3.
Through the last month of session, CSF will continue working with the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus to protect and advance California’s sporting traditions for future generations.