Firearms.

Existing law establishes the offense of carrying a loaded firearm, as specified, and provides exceptions to those provisions, including an exception permitting the carrying of handguns by persons who are authorized to carry those weapons pursuant to provisions relating to licenses to carry concealed firearms. This bill would revise the exception to permit the carrying of handguns by persons as authorized pursuant to provisions relating to licenses to carry concealed firearms. By narrowing the exception to an offense, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also delete obsolete language pertaining to reports to be filed by the Attorney General. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes. Existing law authorizes the sheriff of a county, or the chief or other head of a municipal police department, subject to certain criteria being met, and where the population of the county is less than 200,000 persons according to the most recent federal decennial census, to issue a license to carry a handgun "loaded and exposed in that county." This bill would authorize the sheriff of a county, or the chief or other head of a municipal police department, subject to certain criteria being met, and where the population of the county is less than 200,000 persons according to the most recent federal decennial census, to issue a license to carry a handgun "loaded and exposed in only that county." The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.