California Gov. Newsom Doubles Tax On Guns And Ammo In Latest Gun Regulation Effort

Topline

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed multiple state gun regulation bills Tuesday including one that will double the taxes on gun and ammunition sales to fund violence intervention programs and public school security measures—as the governor makes gun regulation a key piece of his legacy amid increased mass shootings in the U.S.

Newsom said Tuesday the bills would receive resistance from gun rights groups. (Photo by Justin … [+] Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

The gun tax bill, AB28, will enforce an 11% tax on the sale of guns and ammunition in California, which will be stacked on top of California’s pre-existing 10-11% tax starting July 1, 2024.

State officials say the tax will generate about $159 million per year—funds that will be allocated to multiple state agencies including the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program and the California Department of Education, which will bolster security at public schools with physical security improvements, safety assessments, school-based mental health and behavioral services and other initiatives.

Newsom also signed SB2 into law, a bill that will prohibit concealed carry in places like public parks, playgrounds, churches, banks, public demonstrations and anywhere alcohol is sold.

Another bill was signed by Newsom that will require semiautomatic pistols sold in the state to contain microstamping—a technology that marks bullets and cartridge cases with unique fingerprints, making it easier for law enforcement to trace firearms.

The bills were passed overwhelmingly by California’s majority-Democratic legislature, and are the latest actions by Newsom to make gun control a central part of his legacy as he seeks to elevate his national profile.

What To Watch For

Gun rights groups have already filed suit over SB2, and are expected to challenge the other new laws as well, with multiple groups arguing the concealed carry law would harm business owners and “eviscerate the very right to be armed in public that the plain language of the Second Amendment secures,” according to a filing.

Crucial Quote

“The point is pretty damn obvious to anyone who is paying attention. It’s great what we’re doing but it may not be enough,” Newsom told reporters Tuesday, acknowledging the legal pushback to the bills from gun rights groups. “They’re coming after these laws and they’re winning in federal courts.”

Big Number

More than 500. That’s the number of people killed in mass shootings this year as of last month, the most through the end of August in at least ten years.

Key Background

The signing of the bills comes not long after the Cook’s Corner mass shooting in California that left at least three victims dead and six people wounded. There has been a recent increase in mass shootings in California, with state residents experiencing a mass shooting every 6 days, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. However, the state ranks around the middle when it comes to mass shooting rates in the U.S., according to Time. Newsom has been a pro-gun regulation figure at the state and is also looking to change things at the federal level. The California governor proposed in June an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would create a “reasonable” waiting period for gun purchases, institute universal background checks, ban assault rifles nationally and require people to be at least 21 years old to buy a firearm, according to the Associated Press. Newsom has denied the idea he will run for president in 2024. However, the governor’s gun regulation campaign marks another attempt to elevate his profile on a national scale, something he will continue to do this November when he debates Florida Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R) on Fox News in late November.