01/12/2024
- Statement from the Sheriff -
1/10/2024
Sheriff LaRue Responds to the Enactment of SB 2
I am deeply disappointed in the passage of Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) by the California Legislature. Once again, State officials have focused their energies against law-abiding gun owners rather than actual perpetrators of gun violence. Though the constitutionality of this legislation is still being disputed in the courts, it is worth understanding the changes to the previous Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW) Permit application process, and the new restrictions placed upon CCW permit holders.
As SB 2 is currently written, you can anticipate a doubling of required training hours, additional curriculum, and new instructor qualification requirements. Additionally, SB 2 makes it a crime for CCW permit holders to carry their handguns in over 26 distinct categories of “sensitive places,” including on public transportation, in parks, stadiums, playgrounds, parking lots, museums, places of worship, athletic facilities, and any “privately owned commercial establishment that is open to the public" unless the owner "clearly and conspicuously posts a sign at the entrance" saying guns are allowed.
This legislation makes it practically impossible for a CCW permit holder to carry their weapon in public, and it could further exacerbate societal divisions by requiring businesses to identify themselves as “pro-gun” or “anti-gun.” What’s more, our legislature fails to recognize that CCW permit holders are in fact a highly trained, vetted, and law-abiding subset of the population that exemplify responsible gun ownership and keep people safe.
For now, pending court arguments in April, most of the “sensitive places” listed in SB 2 have been blocked by Judge Cormac J. Carney.
While I am hopeful that the courts will strike down the unconstitutional components of SB 2, no one can really say at this point what form this bill will ultimately take. Regardless of the outcome, as Sheriff, I will continue to apply logical discretion when enforcing laws, taking care to both protect the constitutional rights and personal safety of Siskiyou County citizens.
Therefore, I want to assure you all that I take my oath to uphold the Constitution seriously and will prioritize our resources toward criminals committing actual crimes.
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