Assembly Bill No. 1483
CHAPTER 246

An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 27535 of the Penal Code, relating to firearms.

[ Approved by Governor  September 26, 2023. Filed with Secretary of State  September 26, 2023. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1483, Valencia. Firearms: purchases.
Existing law, subject to exceptions, prohibits a person from making more than one application to purchase a handgun within any 30-day period. Under existing law, a violation of this prohibition is a crime. Existing law exempts from that prohibition a firearms transaction where neither of the parties is a firearms dealer if the transaction is completed through a dealer. Commencing on January 1, 2024, existing law will also apply this limitation to completed frames or receivers and firearm precursor parts.
This bill would delete the private party transaction exemption to the 30-day prohibition. The bill would add an exemption for any private party transaction where the seller is, at the time of the transaction, required under state law or by court order to relinquish all firearms, and for any private party transaction where the seller is transferring the firearms as a result of the death of the owner of the firearms, as specified. The bill would make these changes take effect on January 1, 2025. By expanding the scope of a crime, the 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.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 27535 of the Penal Code, as added by Section 19 of Chapter 76 of the Statutes of 2022, is amended to read:

27535.
 (a) A person shall not make an application to purchase more than one firearm within any 30-day period. This subdivision does not authorize a person to make an application to purchase a combination of firearms, completed frames or receivers, or firearm precursor parts within the same 30-day period.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Any law enforcement agency.
(2) Any agency duly authorized to perform law enforcement duties.
(3) Any state or local correctional facility.
(4) Any private security company licensed to do business in California.
(5) Any person who is properly identified as a full-time paid peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, and who is authorized to, and does carry a firearm during the course and scope of employment as a peace officer.
(6) Any motion picture, television, or video production company or entertainment or theatrical company whose production by its nature involves the use of a firearm.
(7) Any person who may, pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 27600), Article 3 (commencing with Section 27650), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 27700), claim an exemption from the waiting period set forth in Section 27540.
(8) Any transaction conducted through a licensed firearms dealer pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050).
(9) Any person who is licensed as a collector pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto, and has a current certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) of Chapter 2.
(10) The exchange of a firearm where the dealer purchased that firearm from the person seeking the exchange within the 30-day period immediately preceding the date of exchange or replacement.
(11) The replacement of a firearm when the person’s firearm was lost or stolen, and the person reported that firearm lost or stolen pursuant to Section 25250 prior to the completion of the application to purchase the replacement.
(12) The return of any firearm to its owner.
(13) A community college that is certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to present the law enforcement academy basic course or other commission-certified law enforcement training.
(c) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2025, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.

 Section 27535 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

27535.
 (a) A person shall not make an application to purchase more than one firearm within any 30-day period. This subdivision does not authorize a person to make an application to purchase a combination of firearms, completed frames or receivers, or firearm precursor parts within the same 30-day period.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Any law enforcement agency.
(2) Any agency duly authorized to perform law enforcement duties.
(3) Any state or local correctional facility.
(4) Any private security company licensed to do business in California.
(5) Any person who is properly identified as a full-time paid peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, and who is authorized to, and does carry a firearm during the course and scope of employment as a peace officer.
(6) Any motion picture, television, or video production company or entertainment or theatrical company whose production by its nature involves the use of a firearm.
(7) Any person who may, pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 27600), Article 3 (commencing with Section 27650), or Article 4 (commencing with Section 27700), claim an exemption from the waiting period set forth in Section 27540.
(8) Any private party transaction where the seller is, at the time of the transaction, required under state law or by court order to relinquish all firearms.
(9) Any private party transaction where the seller is any of the following:
(A) The personal representative of a decedent’s estate who is transferring the firearms to one or more heirs or beneficiaries of the decedent’s estate pursuant to the decedent’s will or the laws of intestate succession.
(B) The holder of the decedent’s property who is transferring the firearms pursuant to Section 13101 of the Probate Code to the successor of the decedent, as defined in Section 13006 of the Probate Code, or to the surviving spouse of the decedent pursuant to Section 13500 of the Probate Code.
(C) The trustee of a trust who is transferring the firearms to one or more trust beneficiaries upon the death of a settlor of the trust.
(10) Any person who is licensed as a collector pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto, and has a current certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) of Chapter 2.
(11) The exchange of a firearm where the dealer purchased that firearm from the person seeking the exchange within the 30-day period immediately preceding the date of exchange or replacement.
(12) The replacement of a firearm if the person’s firearm was lost or stolen, and the person reported that firearm lost or stolen pursuant to Section 25250 prior to the completion of the application to purchase the replacement.
(13) The return of any firearm to its owner.
(14) A community college that is certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to present the law enforcement academy basic course or other commission-certified law enforcement training.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.

SEC. 3.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.