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LAW UPDATE -In a significant development, several new California laws, including the state's concealed firearm restrictions, took effect on Monday. These restrictions had been temporarily blocked by a federal judge until recently.
The new law prohibits Californians from carrying firearms in various public places, including parks, stadiums, and places of worship. It was enacted in response to a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that had relaxed restrictions on concealed carry permits.
Federal Judge Cormac Carney had described the law as "repugnant to the Second Amendment" and temporarily halted its enforcement in late December. However, on Saturday, a federal appeals court panel issued a temporary hold on Carney's ruling, allowing the case to continue its journey through the legal system.
In response to these developments, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement affirming that "Californians overwhelmingly support efforts to ensure that places... remain safe and free from guns." He also reiterated his proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution with gun control measures, which include raising the minimum age for gun ownership and mandating universal background checks. Governor Newsom took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, emphasizing that such an amendment would "save lives across the country."
As California grapples with these new firearm restrictions, the legal battles surrounding this law are expected to continue in the coming months.
(Jim Hampton is the Publisher and Editor of CityWatchLA.com. Jim has over 40 years experience in radio broadcasting, marketing and content creation. He helped Ken Draper to launch CityWatch on the web nearly 20 years ago.)
