AMGOA Staff
Pennsylvania


Posts: 1,427

In the wake of a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival last summer, Santa Clara County leaders this week approved a new gun control law that requires firearm owners to safely lock their weapons when not in arm's reach.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance requiring the safe storage of firearms within residences on unincorporated county land. The new law requires firearms either be lawfully carried by residents, in their close proximity and control, or disabled with a trigger lock or in a locked container when left unattended. The storage requirements do not apply when firearms are carried outside of residences.

But regulating guns isn't so simple, especially in the unincorporated parts of the county. That's why Supervisor Dave Cortese worked to strike a balance with the law and take into consideration the needs of the rural communities.

County officials did not replicate laws already in effect in cities like Sunnyvale and San Francisco. Instead, they worked to tweak the language to consider both of the county's diverse urban and rural populations, such as making an exception for facilities that could be deemed “residences” during hunting trips or target practice.

https://sanjosespotlight.com/santa-clara-county-leaders-approve-safe-gun-storage-law/