There's a massive backlog in getting a carry permit in California. It's bad enough the DOJ's civil rights division is looking into it in Los Angeles County, but it's not exactly quick anywhere else. Then, after a six-month or so wait, you have to go through it all again in less than two years. It's a pain.
But a bill seeks to change that, and an analysis shows it's just a solid idea.
The committee analysis for a California bill to increase the duration of carry permits details the stark contrast between costs and wait times in CA compared to other states, says that CCW holders "rarely are found involved in violent crime," and notes that the bill is supported… pic.twitter.com/pWNsxWnwn6
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) March 17, 2026
...supported by numerous police organizations while zero groups submitted opposition testimony: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1948
That's right, it seems that the committee found absolutely no reason not to pass this and even the anti-gun groups didn't bother to submit testimony.
In other words, California is about to pass legislation that's good for gun owners, right?
Well...
An ACTUAL "commonsense" bill. And it might not pass! https://t.co/KwbVMYtS1w
— Kostas Moros (@MorosKostas) March 17, 2026
Tough decision for the committee here: While the bill would benefit everyone involved, won't increase crime, and isn't opposed by any gun control groups, it still might fail because it's good for gun owners https://t.co/DeZN6FUzgW
— Rob Romano (@2Aupdates) March 17, 2026
The anti-gun animosity in California runs deep. Even with this particular analysis, it's unlikely that anti-gun politicians in the state will even remotely consider anything that smacks of being pro-gun.
Granted, the real pro-gun position would be constitutional carry, but unless a court orders it, that's just not happening in the state. This just eases some of the burden for getting a permit there, which is already ridiculous compared to other states. Yet there's also a school of so-called thought that argues that anyone who carries a gun is a dangerous menace, and no amount of analysis will ever convince them otherwise.
And a bunch of those folks have been elected to public office there.
It's weird, too, because they seem to think that permits are a good thing, but rather than just extend the duration a permit is good for--remember, a permit is invalid should someone become prohibited from having one--they're going to probably keep screwing over gun owners. It is the way of their people, it seems.
I'd love to say Moros and Romano are being unduly pessimistic, but I don't think they are. There's a very real chance this might not pass, either because the legislature refuses to or because Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes it. Hell, it might not even make it out of committee.
If that's the case, then it's clear that there can never really be any meaningful common ground on guns. All of these groups that claim we can work together and all that? Nonsense. It's bad enough that they all seem to support some degree of regulation on our rights--strange how there's never any effort to repeal any gun control laws in these, isn't it?--but this is a relatively pro-gun move they could make now and at least pretend they're really looking for common ground.
This is a bill that has no discernible downside, that even the anti-gun groups couldn't be bothered to testify against, and if it doesn't sail into law, there's absolutely no way we're ever going to get a fair shake from these people.
Not that I actually expect one, mind you, but still...
So yeah, we've got a bill that's good for gun owners in a state that typically treats them like something it found stuck to the soles of it shoes, and they still might not pass it simply because it's good for gun owners.
I can't help but just shake my head.
