Two big victories in Sacramento
In the wee hours last night, as the two-year legislative session was coming to a close in Sacramento, CRPA’s legislative team helped bring home two critical victories. SB 918, a bill that would have made it virtually impossible to carry a gun outside your home, and AB 1227, a bill to add 10-11% taxes to all new gun purchases, were defeated.
Both were “urgency” statutes that would have taken effect immediately if they were approved and then signed by the Governor. That would mean that unprecedented restrictions on carrying outside the home and taxes as high as 40% on gun purchases would go into effect right away.
Working with a coalition of sheriffs and other Second Amendment groups and facing an aggressive push from Gov. Newsom, Attorney General Bonta, and top legislative Democrats, CRPA rallied pro-2A voices to reach out to four key legislators who proved to be crucial votes.
CRPA members were vital to this effort, generating calls (and even office visits) to these lawmakers to voice their opposition. The collective push held the bills just a handful of votes short of passage. Thank you!
These victories are certainly cause for celebration. SB 918 and AB 1227 were central elements of the Democratic agenda to wipe out “gun culture”, while shamelessly claiming they are reducing crime. One more time: Criminals don’t follow the law!
While we are thrilled to report these wins, we know that nothing is ever truly “dead” in Sacramento, and legislators have already pledged to bring SB 918 back in the new year. AB 1227 has already been introduced and defeated several times, so there’s no reason to think it won’t be back as well.