https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/california-guns-bill/2022/09/02/id/1085750/By Jeffrey Rodack | Friday, 02 September 2022 10:57 AM EDT
A bill aimed at tightening California's concealed-carry law fell just two votes shy of passage by the state's Assembly.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Assembly rejected the bill, which was designed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that expanded a person's right to carry a gun outside the home.
The high court ruling, a major victory for gun owners, came in a case involving a New York law requiring a concealed-carry application to demonstrate a special need for the protection.
The California proposal would have required local licensing officials to run down a list of criteria to ensure a person was a "qualified" applicant to carry a firearm.
The newspaper noted that after falling two votes short of passage on Tuesday, the Assembly heard the bill again on Wednesday through a process called reconsideration. But the Assembly upheld its decision by failing to garner the two-thirds voted needed for passage.
"I'm legitimately surprised it didn't pass," said state Sen. Anthony Portantino, a Democrat. He vowed to reintroduce the bill in December, when lawmakers can start introducing legislation for the next session.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the supermajority vote threshold made passing the bill much more difficult. And he maintained that those who pose a public safety risk need to be prevented from being issued a permit, The Times noted.
"The longer it takes to get this bill into effect, the more people are at risk, every day," he said.
A group calling itself Gun Owners of California, tweeted its joy over defeat of the bill, also known as SB 918.
It wrote: "We did it. SB 918 is dead! Our job is done. Thank you to everyone who contacted their legislatures asking them to vote no. Our efforts are just beginning. We need your support for all of the lawsuits in our future. No Compromise!"
