Firearms: license to carry concealed.

Existing law authorizes the sheriff of a county or the chief or other head of a municipal police department of any city or city and county to issue a license to carry a concealed firearm to an applicant for that license if the applicant is of good moral character, good cause exists for issuance of the license, the applicant meets specified residency requirements, and the applicant has completed a specified course of training, acceptable to the licensing authority. Under existing law, the required course of training for an applicant must be no more than 16 hours and must cover firearm safety and laws regarding the permissible use of a firearm. This bill would require that the course of training be at least 8 but not be required to exceed 16 hours. The bill would require the course of training to include instruction on firearm handling and shooting technique and to also include a demonstration by the applicant of shooting proficiency and safe handling of each firearm the applicant will be licensed to carry and to include live-fire exercises conducted on a firing range. The bill would require a licensing authority to establish, and make available to the public, standards it uses when issuing licenses with regards to the live-fire shooting exercises it requires, as specified. By imposing additional requirements on local licensing authorities, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.