AB 879: Firearms: unsafe handguns.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 29, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
2. June 23, 2025In committee: Referred to suspense file.
3. June 11, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. June 10, 2025From 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).
5. May 21, 2025Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
6. May 8, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
7. May 8, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 1486.)
8. May 1, 2025Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
9. April 30, 2025From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 30).
10. April 23, 2025From 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.
11. March 25, 2025Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
12. March 24, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.