By Andrew Zirkle | CALIFORNIA

This past week, California’s Governor Jerry Brown (D) has signed three new gun control bills into law as a result of recent public outcry against gun violence by constituents in the state. The law regarding new labeling, AB-1525, passed just this Sunday and makes significant changes to the California penal code. This new law requires a large warning label to accompany the packaging or other literature associated with any gun sold or transferred within in California by a licensed retailer or manufacturer.

The label itself is required to say “Firearms must be handled responsibly and securely stored to prevent access by children and other unauthorized users.” Also required on the label is the threat of being “fined or imprisoned if you fail to comply [with California Law].” The label also needs to have website URLs showing where to find more information, should a prospective buyer need more information on California state gun law. The new law also includes more provisions regarding warning signage in gun stores, with over 1000 words relating to California gun laws required to be “clearly displayed” at business locations. The final provision in the new law changes the way mandatory gun safety tests are administered before purchasing a weapon. This bill joins two others signed this week in California regarding firearms.

The first bill signed, AB-7, more tightly restricts open carry of long guns in unincorporated areas. The second bill, AB-424, ends the ability of school superintendents to give someone open carry permission on campus property, which is the final nail in the coffin for any sort of open carry on California educational campuses. These three gun control measures passed each house and were signed by the Governor with little opposition from any involved party. Despite these huge strides taken by gun control advocates, it wasn’t all wins after Governor Brown vetoed the fourth measure designed at increasing security at gun shops after criticizing it for being too overreaching.

California already had some of the tightest gun control regulations before these bills, is expected to continue to work to pass even more control legislation as a response to the public opinion after the Las Vegas massacre. The full text of each bill can be viewed on the California Legislative Information Website