Legal/Legislative Update for January 2026 Meeting

AB 1127: “Glock Ban”

Current Glock pistol models (as well as other striker-fired pistols with a cruciform trigger bar) will no longer be available for sale in gun stores starting July 1, 2026.

Gun stores in California are now prohibited from buying new or used Glock pistols for retail sale (as of January 1, 2026).

Those who already own a Glock pistol will not be affected by the new law, private party transfers will still be allowed.

Boland v. Bonta: Handgun Roster Challenge

California Handgun Roster and specifically its requirements that all semi-auto pistols sold new in the state come with chamber load indicators, magazine disconnect mechanisms, and micro-stamping.

Ninth Circuit Proceedings (2023-2024): The case was argued before a three-judge panel in August 2023. In March 2024, the Ninth Circuit panel issued an order vacating its decision and consolidated or related the case with Duncan v. Bonta (a challenge to the large-capacity magazine ban) to be heard by an en banc (full) panel of eleven judges.

Current Status: The case’s outcome is currently pending the en banc review by the Ninth Circuit, as part of a larger consolidation of key Second Amendment challenges in California. The challenged “safety” requirements remain in effect pending a final judgment.

Rhode v. Bonta: “Ammo background checks”

On January 30, 2024, the United States District Court ruled that the law violated the Second Amendment. California appealed.

On February 5, 2024, the Ninth Circuit issued a stay pending appeal. The briefing at the Ninth Circuit was completed in September 2024 and oral argument occurred on December 4, 2024.

On July 24, 2025, the Ninth Circuit held that the ammunition restrictions violate the Second Amendment and affirmed the district court’s order granting a permanent injunction against the law’s enforcement.

The ruling is paused as the state requested an “en banc” (full court) review, with oral arguments scheduled for March 2026, keeping the law in effect for now.

Duncan v. Bonta: “Large Capacity Magazine Ban”

On September 22, 2023, the District Court found the magazine ban to be unconstitutional.

The state appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit issued a stay pending appeal. The appeal was reassigned to the en banc panel that previously upheld the ban.

The en banc panel heard oral arguments on March 19, 2024. On March 20, 2025, the en banc court upheld the ban in a 7-4 decision, concluding that magazines are “accessories” rather than “arms,” and even if they were arms, the ban is consistent with historical regulations that prohibited “especially dangerous uses of weapons.”

On August 17, 2025, the plaintiffs filed a petition for certiorari (a formal request asking a higher court to review a lower court’s decision) with the United States Supreme Court.

Firearm Purchase limits
A new limit of three firearm purchases per 30-day period will go into effect on April 1, 2026.

Barrel purchases
Starting July 1, 2027, purchasing a firearm barrel will require an in-person background check at a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL).

SB 53 “Safe storage”
Effective January 1, 2026, SB 53 mandates that all firearms in a residence must be securely stored (in a DOJ-approved lockbox/safe or with a locking device) when not carried or readily controlled, expanding current rules to cover all residents, not just those with children, and increasing penalties for non-compliance. The law aims to prevent unauthorized access by children, teens, and prohibited persons, requiring owners to use certified safety devices or safes and store guns separately from ammunition, with violations escalating from infractions to misdemeanors.

11% FET
Several lawsuits, such as Jaymes v. Maduros and cases filed by the NRA and CRPA, challenge California’s 11% firearms and ammunition excise tax, which was enacted through Assembly Bill 28. Plaintiffs argue the tax is unconstitutional, violating the Second Amendment by imposing an undue financial burden that discourages gun ownership, and also cite the Fourteenth Amendment. Legal challenges are ongoing, with one case being dismissed, while others have been filed by gun rights organizations in partnership with retailers who pay the tax.

California AB 1263 New requirements for firearm parts and accessories
Enacted in late 2025, significantly tightens firearm laws, especially concerning “ghost guns,” by expanding definitions of firearm parts, adding verification/shipping rules for accessories (like triggers, barrels) to residents, increasing liability for those facilitating unlawful manufacturing (including online), and imposing new penalties, impacting FFLs, out-of-state sellers, and gun owners with stricter compliance and potential 10-year firearm bans for certain offenses after January 1, 2026.

Please click here to view the CRPA guide to AB 1263 including the notice to purchasers and required acknowledgments (signatures and initials).

FYI:
In the United States legal system, federal law generally takes precedence over conflicting state law due to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This principle is known as preemption.

The Supremacy Clause: Article VI, Paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution declares the Constitution, federal laws made pursuant to it, and all treaties made under the authority of the United States to be the “supreme law of the land”. This means that state courts and legislatures cannot make laws that conflict with federal law in areas where Congress has exercised its constitutionally granted powers.