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SB-248 • 2026

Firearms: information to new owners.

Firearms: information to new owners.

Budget Firearms
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Rubio
Last action
2025-08-29
Official status
August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Firearms: Information for New Owners

This law requires the Department of Justice to send new firearm owners information about their rights and responsibilities within 10 days after they buy or receive a gun.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Justice to mail a letter with important information to people who buy firearms starting July 1, 2027.
  • Includes details on how to legally transfer or give up ownership of a firearm in the mailed letter.
  • Provides resources about gun violence restraining orders and other safety measures in the letter.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who buy firearms from licensed dealers
  • Individuals who receive firearms through certain exempt transfers like gifts

Terms To Know

licensed firearms dealer
A business that is allowed by the government to sell or transfer firearms.
gun violence restraining order
An order from a court that stops someone from having guns if they are considered dangerous.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the Department of Justice fails to send the required information.
  • It is unclear how much this new requirement will cost and who will pay for it.

Bill History

  1. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  3. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    Coauthors revised.

  5. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  6. 2025-06-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  7. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  8. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 11. Page 1513.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  9. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  11. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1193.) (May 23).

  12. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  13. 2025-04-07 California Legislative Information

    April 7 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  14. 2025-03-28 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  15. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 533.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  16. 2025-03-07 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing March 25.

  17. 2025-02-14 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  18. 2025-02-03 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 2.

  19. 2025-01-30 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 248, as amended, Rubio.
Firearms: information to new owners.
Existing law requires any sale, loan, or transfer of a firearm to be processed through a licensed firearms dealer. Existing law exempts from this requirement certain transfers such as those made by gift, bequest, intestate succession, or operation of law, among others. Existing law requires a person who receives a firearm pursuant to these provisions to submit to the Department of Justice a report, as prescribed by the department, describing the firearm and providing personal information.
Existing law requires, for a firearm purchase when the register is used, 2 copies of the original sheet of the register containing certain information to be mailed to the department, and when the electronic or telephonic transfer of applicant information is used, the record of applicant information be transmitted to the
department by electronic or telephonic transfer.
Existing law requires that fees charged by the department for the processing of these forms be deposited in the Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account, which is available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to offset certain costs relating to the regulation of firearms, among other things.
This bill would, beginning July 1, 2027, require the department to mail to
each purchaser of a firearm, within 10 days of the application, or
any person who notifies the department pursuant to the above-described reports of a firearm
transaction
transaction, within 10 days of the notification,
a letter that includes certain information relevant to firearm ownership, such as information on how to legally transfer or relinquish a firearm and resources regarding gun violence restraining orders, among others.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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