California Senate Committee Advances Portantino’s Bill to Tighten Handgun Regulations

SB 1160, introduced by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, is gaining momentum in the California legislature as it seeks to hold individuals accountable for carrying unregistered handguns and to increase responsibility in firearm ownership.

The bill has passed the Senate Public Safety Committee. Portantino explained SB 1160 builds on previous gun reform measures to enhance public safety and curb illegal firearm activities.

“SB 1160 imposes higher penalties for those who illegally carry unregistered handguns and engage in criminal acts,” the senator said in a statement.

Emphasizing the bill’s alignment with existing legislation aimed at enhancing registration requirements and compliance, Portantino said the measure represents a continuation of his advocacy for responsible gun ownership and increased accountability within the community.

The senator said current California law lacks an explicit requirement for handgun possessors to be listed with the Department of Justice, leading to gaps in oversight and enforcement. SB 1160 seeks to address this issue by extending increased punishments for openly carrying handguns to cases where individuals in immediate possession of a handgun are not listed with the Department of Justice as the owner.

The bill also proposes similar measures for conduct-based offenses involving illegal handgun possession.

Portantino has been an advocate for common-sense gun reform dating back to his tenure in the State Assembly, where he successfully introduced measures to prohibit the open carry of handguns and rifles in specific areas. As a Senator, he continued this commitment by raising the firearm purchase age to 21 and introducing legislation aimed at improving firearms storage and purchase safeguards.

Last year, Portantino collaborated with Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta to enact SB 2, which implemented significant improvements to strengthen existing concealed-carry weapon laws in the state.