With the saga taking place in Washington, D.C. over the sexual assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, it's easy to miss stories that are taking place, especially on the state and local level.
Last week, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed multiple firearms-related bills which will greatly impact gun owners in the Golden State, the Associated Press reported.
The biggest change that's being made: the requirements for obtaining a concealed carry weapons permit. Californians will have to undergo at least eight hours of training, which include live-fire exercises. Some local sheriffs and police chiefs already require up to 16 hours of training before they grant their citizens a permit but, up until now, there has been no minimum or standard across the state.
“We are setting consistent and sensible standards statewide for concealed carry permits to ensure weapons do not end up in untrained hands,” the bill’s author, San Diego Democratic Assemblyman Todd Gloria, said in a statement.
According to Firearms Policy Coalition spokesman Craig DeLuz, the change in laws isn't the toughest requirement in the nation "but it could be the most confusing" because of ambiguous language found in the bills.
Along with the changes to CCW permits, Brown also signed a bill banning bump stocks in the Golden State.
The one win for gun owners: Brown vetoed a proposed "red flag law," which would allow colleagues, mental health works and school employees to ask a judge to remove firearms from a person who they deem to be a threat. Currently, family members are the only ones who can make that request.
Brown said those who want restraining orders can do so "by simply working through law enforcement or the immediate family of the concerning individual. I think law enforcement professionals and those closest to the family member are best situated to make these especially consequential decisions."
Another bill Brown vetoed would require state officials to develop a system where those who are suicidal would be able to put themselves on a list of those banned from purchasing firearms. The Governor said gun control advocates need to study how the system might work.