AB 879 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Firearms: unsafe handguns.

Summary

Existing law makes it a crime, punishable by not more than one year in county jail, to manufacture or cause to be manufactured, import into the state for sale, keep for sale, offer or expose for sale, give, or lend an unsafe handgun. Existing law establishes certain exemptions to this prohibition, including, among others, exemptions for sales to specified law enforcement agencies and other specified government agencies for use by specified employees and sales to specified peace officers. Existing law imposes certain vehicle storage requirements on specified persons who obtain an unsafe handgun. A violation of those provisions is a crime. Existing law specifies that the sale of an unsafe handgun to certain specified entities, including county probation departments, and members of those entities, is only authorized if the handgun is to be used as a service weapon by a peace officer who has successfully completed the basic course prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and who qualifies with the handgun, as specified, at least every 6 months. Existing law also provides that this training requirement may be satisfied by completion of the firearm portion of a training course prescribed by POST, if that training was completed before January 1, 2021. This bill would instead authorize a peace officer employed by a county probation department and using an unsafe handgun as a service weapon to satisfy the above-described training requirement by completion of the firearm portion of a training course prescribed by POST. Because the bill would expand the application of the crime of improperly storing an unsafe handgun in an unattended vehicle to additional persons, this bill would impose 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2025

Assembly Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action Aug 29, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/19/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MODERATE

The amendment adds a new exemption (paragraph 8) allowing county probation departments to purchase unsafe handguns as service weapons for sworn members who have completed only the firearms portion of a POST training course, rather than the full basic course required of other entities. It also changes the fiscal committee and state-mandated local program designations from 'no' to 'yes,' adds reimbursement language, and makes minor technical corrections. The new exemption carries a stricter live-fire qualification requirement (every 3 months instead of 6) compared to other exempted entities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expands to include county probation departments as a new category of entities eligible to purchase unsafe handguns, with a modified (less stringent) training requirement but a more frequent qualification schedule. The state-mandated local program designation now applies, meaning local agencies bear some cost implications from the expanded vehicle storage enforcement.

ELIGIBILITY

New paragraph (8) in subdivision (b) creates a specific exemption for county probation departments to purchase unsafe handguns as service weapons. Sworn members need only have completed the firearms portion of a POST training course (not the full basic course), and must complete live-fire qualification every 3 months (more frequent than the 6-month requirement for other entities).

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now triggers fiscal analysis and imposes costs on local agencies.

Section 2 adds language stating no reimbursement is required under Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates one, or changes penalties within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.

TECHNICAL

Two instances of 'the department' in subdivision (e) were corrected to 'the Department of Justice' for clarity.

Subparagraphs within paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) were renumbered (K through V shifted to J through U), appearing to correct a prior numbering error where two items shared the same letter designation.

03/24/25 - Amended Assembly → 06/11/25 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · Jun 11, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate amendment moves county probation departments from the general government agency exemption into a new standalone exemption (paragraph 8) that imposes a stricter live-fire qualification requirement of once every three months, compared to the six-month frequency required of other agencies. All cross-references throughout the bill were updated to include the new paragraph 8 in penalty, transfer restriction, vehicle storage, and reporting provisions. The change is substantive rather than technical, as indicated by the removal of the 'technical, nonsubstantive changes' language from the digest.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded slightly by formally incorporating county probation departments into the regulatory framework with their own tailored requirements, rather than treating them as part of a broader government agency exemption. The stricter three-month qualification cycle narrows the practical scope of how probation officers may use unsafe handguns compared to other exempt agencies.

ELIGIBILITY

County probation departments were removed from the general list of exempt government agencies in paragraph (6) and given their own dedicated exemption in new paragraph (8).

REQUIREMENT

New paragraph (8) requires county probation department members carrying an unsafe handgun as a service weapon to complete live-fire qualification at least once every three months, which is twice as frequent as the six-month requirement for other agencies under paragraph (7).

ENFORCEMENT

Civil penalty provisions, transfer restrictions, vehicle storage requirements, and Department of Justice database/reporting requirements were all updated to include paragraph (8) alongside paragraphs (4), (6), and (7), extending those obligations to county probation department handgun holders.

FISCAL

The legislative counsel's digest changed the fiscal committee designation from 'no' to 'yes' and the state-mandated local program designation from 'no' to 'yes', indicating the bill now triggers fiscal review and potentially creates state-mandated costs for local agencies.

Floor votes · Assembly May 8, 2025

How they voted

69–0

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 79

May 8, 2025

D Democratic60

55 Yea 5

91% Yea

R Republican19

14 Yea 5

73% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Jun 23, 2025

Committee

In committee: Referred to suspense file.

upper

Jun 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 10, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 10).

upper

May 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 1486.)

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 30).

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors