California Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Urge Governor Newsom to Call a Special Session to Pass Bill to Address Dangerous Supreme Court Decision on Carrying Guns in Public

The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement today urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to call state lawmakers back for a special legislative session to pass SB 918, an important piece of gun safety legislation to strengthen the state’s concealed carry permitting system after the bill fell short by one vote in the Assembly late Wednesday night. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen endangered a portion of California’s concealed carry permitting process that has helped to keep California safe for decades. SB 918 would strengthen California’s concealed carry permit system in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to ensure the law can continue to protect Californians from gun violence. 

“A dangerous Supreme Court decision recently put California families and communities at risk, yet last night too many of our representatives disregarded that danger and neglected to take action,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action and California resident. “Lawmakers must act in the wake of this reckless court decision, like in New York, where a similar bill has already gone into effect after state lawmakers acted with urgency. Thankfully, Governor Newsom is a strong ally in the fight for gun safety, and now he will need to act because our lawmakers didn’t have the courage to: he must call a special session and get this crucial legislation across the finish line.”

SB 918 would make several improvements to California’s concealed carry license system to help keep Californians safe. Some of those measures include:

• Ensuring that licenses are not granted to people who are found to be a danger to themselves or others following a thorough background check
• Prohibiting guns from sensitive places such as playgrounds, polling places, and hospitals
• Improving training requirements for concealed carry
• Raising the age to carry a handgun in public from 18 to 21

California continues to be a national leader in gun violence prevention policy. During the 2022 legislative session, state lawmakers passed a number of lifesaving gun safety bills. To keep California safe, Governor Newsom should call state lawmakers back for a special session to finish the job and pass SB 918. More information about gun violence in California is available here.