Enrolled  September 05, 2024
Passed  IN  Senate  August 31, 2024
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 31, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  August 28, 2024
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 20, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 23, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1252

Introduced by Assembly Members Wicks and Gabriel
(Principal coauthor: Senator Blakespear)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Jones-Sawyer and Zbur)

February 16, 2023

An act to add Title 12.3 (commencing with Section 14245) to Part 4 of the Penal Code, relating to public safety.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1252, Wicks. Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Under existing law, the Department of Justice is responsible for carrying out several functions related to the sale, delivery, and transfer of firearms, including maintaining a centralized list of all persons licensed to sell firearms and inspecting firearms. The California Constitution establishes the Attorney General as the chief law officer of the state and makes it the duty of the Attorney General to see that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced.
This bill would establish, within the Department of Justice, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The bill would require the office to advise the Attorney General on, among other things, gun violence prevention-related matters and the effectiveness of certain gun violence prevention laws and programs. The bill would require the office to consult with specified stakeholders and, on or before July 1, 2026, issue a public report on achieving sustained gun violence reduction, including addressing new legislation and improvements to statutory implementation. The bill would require the office to make its report publicly available and transmit copies to the public safety committees of both houses of the Legislature and the Governor’s office, within 60 days of the report’s completion.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Title 12.3 (commencing with Section 14245) is added to Part 4 of the Penal Code, to read:

TITLE 12.3. GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

14245.
 (a) There is hereby established within the Department of Justice the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
(b) The office shall advise the Attorney General on gun violence prevention-related matters, serve as a liaison to gun violence prevention stakeholders, and support the implementation, coordination, and effectiveness of gun violence prevention laws and programs through activities, including those described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 36005 of the Revenue and Taxation Code and through data and policy reports that highlight best practices, identify policy gaps and barriers to success, and make recommendations to the Legislature and other stakeholders about strategies, policies, and priorities for preventing gun violence.
(c) On or before July 1, 2026, the office shall issue a public report outlining the new legislation, improvements to statutory implementation, and increased programmatic funding necessary to achieve sustained reductions in gun violence in California.
(d) In the process of preparing the report, the office shall solicit input from recognized outside experts and stakeholders, including, but not limited to, local and state elected officials, law enforcement, gun violence prevention advocates, and academic researchers. The report shall include all of the following:
(1) Ascertaining gaps in firearm tracing systems and making recommendations to alleviate them.
(2) Making recommendations to implement and improve permitting and licensing and registration frameworks to limit unsafe firearm access.
(3) Examining and proposing policies to curb or eliminate irresponsible firearm industry practices, including in the distribution, retail sale, inventory, and marketing of firearms.
(4) Identifying gaps and barriers to success, and highlighting and proposing strategies to replicate best practices.
(5) Evaluating and identifying coordination and strategic planning across different state and local agencies.
(6) Best practice recommendations for improving implementation and coordination in court, law enforcement, health care, and crime victim system responses to gun violence.
(7) A five-year strategic plan for reducing gun violence in California.
(e) Within 60 days of completing the report, the office shall make the report publicly available and transmit copies to the Governor’s office and the public safety committees of both houses of the Legislature. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.