Firearms: firearm safety certificate.

Existing law, subject to exceptions, prohibits a person from purchasing or receiving any handgun without a valid handgun safety certificate, and prohibits any person from selling, delivering, loaning, or transferring any handgun to any person who does not have a valid handgun safety certificate, with exceptions, as specified. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor. This bill would instead, commencing January 1, 2015, and subject to exceptions, prohibit a person from purchasing or receiving any firearm without a valid firearm safety certificate, and would, subject to exceptions, prohibit any person from selling, delivering, loaning, or transferring any firearm to any person who does not have a valid firearm safety certificate. The bill would make conforming changes. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2015, and subject to exceptions, require a safe handling demonstration for purchasers of long guns, and would require the Department of Justice to adopt regulations to establish a long gun safe handling demonstration no later than January 1, 2015. The bill would define the term "long gun" for these purposes. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law allows the Department of Justice to charge a certified instructor up to $15 for each handgun safety certificate issued by that instructor and requires the funds to be deposited in the Firearms Safety and Enforcement Special Fund, which is a continuously appropriated fund. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2015, allow the department to collect $15 for each firearm safety certificate and would require the funds to be deposited in the Firearms Safety and Enforcement Special Fund, which is continuously appropriated, thereby making an appropriation. This bill would incorporate amendments to Section 28160 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 538, to become operative if both bills are enacted and this bill is chaptered last. 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.