AB-879 • 2026

Firearms: unsafe handguns.

Crime Education Firearms Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Patterson
Last action: 2025-08-29
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on penalties for violating storage rules or the exact number of peace officers affected by training changes.

Firearms: Unsafe Handguns

AB-879 modifies the training requirements and storage rules related to unsafe handguns, allowing peace officers in county probation departments to meet certain training standards through a POST course if completed before January 1, 2021.

What This Bill Does

Makes it illegal to manufacture or sell unsafe handguns with some exemptions for law enforcement agencies and specified government entities.
Requires people who obtain an unsafe handgun to store them safely when not in use.
Allows peace officers working for county probation departments to meet training requirements by completing a POST course if the training was done before January 1, 2021.

Who It Names or Affects

People who manufacture or sell unsafe handguns
Peace officers in county probation departments
Anyone who obtains an unsafe handgun and needs to store it safely

Terms To Know

POST: Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, which sets training standards for peace officers.
Unsafe Handgun: A handgun that does not meet certain safety or design requirements set by law.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone violates the storage rules.
It is unclear how many peace officers will be affected by the change in training requirements.

Bill History

2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-06-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-10 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 10).
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-05-08 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 1486.)
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 30).
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 879, as amended, Patterson.
Firearms: unsafe handguns.
Existing law makes it a crime, punishable by not more than one year in county jail, to manufacture or cause to be manufactured, import into the state for sale, keep for sale, offer or expose for sale, give, or lend an unsafe handgun. Existing law establishes certain exemptions to this prohibition, including, among others, exemptions for sales to specified law enforcement agencies and other specified government agencies for use by specified employees and sales to specified peace officers.
Existing law imposes certain vehicle storage requirements on specified persons who obtain an unsafe handgun. A violation of those provisions is a crime.
Existing law specifies that the sale of an unsafe handgun to certain specified entities, including county probation departments, and members of
those entities, is only authorized if the handgun is to be used as a service weapon by a peace officer who has successfully completed the basic course prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and who qualifies with the handgun, as specified, at least every 6 months. Existing law also provides that this training requirement may be satisfied by completion of the firearm portion of a training course prescribed by POST, if that training was completed before January 1, 2021.
This bill would instead authorize a peace officer employed by a county probation department and using an unsafe handgun as a service weapon to satisfy the above-described training requirement by completion of the firearm portion of a training course prescribed by POST.
Because the bill would expand the application of the crime of improperly storing an unsafe handgun in an unattended vehicle to additional persons, this 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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF