Bill That Adds 11% Tax on Firearms and Ammunition Moves Forward

A bill that would impose an 11% excise tax on the sale of guns and ammunition by gun manufacturers and dealers moves onto Governor Gavin Newsom for signature.

Assembly Bill 28, Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), aims to generate $100 million annually through the tax on firearms to fund school safety and violence prevention programs passed out of the State Assembly and Senate Thursday.

On September 7, the bill passed the Assembly Floor in a 57-17 vote with 6 not casting a vote and a Senate 27-9 vote with 4 not casting a vote.

If signed by Governor Newsom, the 11% tax on gross receives from firearms and ammunition would begin July 1, 2024—The tax would be collected by the state pursuant to the Fee Collection Procedures Law. The bill would require that the revenues collected be deposited in the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund, which the bill would establish in the State Treasury. The bill would require the moneys received in the fund to be used to fund various gun violence prevention, education, research, response, and investigation programs, as specified

On September 1, after the bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee, Gabriel issued the following statement:

“It’s shameful that gun manufacturers are reaping record profits at the same time that gun violence has become the leading cause of death for kids in the United States,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. “The bill will fund critical school safety measures and proven violence prevention programs that will save lives and protect communities across California.”

How the Assembly voted:

• Ayes: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alvarez, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Connolly, Mike Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Blanca Rubio, Santiago, Schiavo, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
• Noes: Alanis, Chen, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Vince Fong, Gallagher, Hoover, Lackey, Mathis, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Sanchez, Ta, Waldron, Wallis’
• Did Not Vote: Arambula, Bains, Essayli, Ramos, Rodriguez, Soria

Here is how the Senate Voted

• Ayes: Allen, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Hurtado, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Padilla, Portantino, Rubio, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener
• Noes: Alvarado-Gil, Dahle, Grove, Jones, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Seyarto, Wilk
• Did Not Vote: Caballero, Cortese, Dodd, Roth

Tax on Firearms Previous Stories

• July 12 – New Excise Tax on Guns Clears Final Policy Committee in the California Legislature
• May 26 – Firearm Tax to Fund School Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Efforts Moves Forward
• Dec 8, 2022 – New Firearm Tax Measure Introduced as Part of Trio of Gun Violence Prevention Bills
• Sept 2, 2022 – California Tax Hike Proposal on Firearm and Ammunition Sales Fails