Why It Matters: Before the California legislature leaves for its summer recess, lawmakers continue to advance legislation that could impact the rights and privileges of sportsmen and women across the state. Several bills moving through the legislature this year would affect firearm ownership, hunter safety regulations, and youth participation in hunting and fishing traditions. These include Senate Bill 948, Assembly Bill 1987, and Assembly Bill 1912, which the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has been tracking closely.
Highlights:
- Assembly Bill 1912 (AB 1912) would allow bowhunters to carry a concealed firearm while archery hunting during deer season.
- 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 1987 (AB 1987) would authorize the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to enter into agreements with nonprofit conservation groups to help administer hunting and other public-use programs on department-managed lands.
May 29 marked the deadline for bills to pass their House of origin in the California Legislature, and lawmakers are now advancing priority legislation at a rapid pace as they work towards the July recess.
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 has now been taken off the suspense file and passed over to the Assembly, and is awaiting a hearing.
Another sportsmen-related bill is Assembly Bill 1912, introduced by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus Member Assemblymember Heather Hadwick and coauthored by many other Caucus members. This bill would allow individuals hunting deer during the archery season to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense. Currently, California restricts archery hunters from carrying firearms while afield. The right to personal protection should not be relinquished while bowhunting. Archery equipment presents clear limitations in self-defense situations, particularly in areas inhabited by large predators such as bears and mountain lions. AB 1912 has crossed over from the Assembly to the Senate and is scheduled for a June 9 hearing in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water.
Assembly Bill 1987, introduced by California Outdoor Sporting Caucus member, Assemblymember Heather Hadwick, would establish a dedicated account for revenues generated through waterfowl hunting reservation applications and daily and season-long entry permits at Type A and Type B Wildlife Areas, ensuring those funds are directed toward the operation, maintenance, and administration of public hunting programs on those areas. AB 1987 has passed over to the Senate and is scheduled for a June 9 hearing in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water.
CSF will continue to work with the California Outdoor Sporting Caucus to protect and advance California’s sporting traditions for future generations.