Good news out of California, folks – and I don't say that about that state very often when it comes to gun rights.
The Second Amendment Foundation just settled their major lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and honestly, it's a testament to what happens when we take these fights to court. The SAF and their partners – including the California Rifle and Pistol Association, Gun Owners of America, and several other groups – have been banging their heads against the wall trying to get California to follow its own laws on carry permits.
Here's what they accomplished: First, the state is now issuing CCW permits to qualified non-residents – the first ruling in the country confirming your Second Amendment rights don't magically disappear when you cross state lines. That relief got codified into law through AB 1078.
Second, they cracked down on LA County's insane multi-year wait times for permits. The sheriff's department is finally processing applications within the 120-day window that California law requires – and that happened after the DOJ filed a parallel lawsuit, which probably helped light a fire under them.
They also got rid of those automatic five-year bans for people who had temporary restraining orders dissolved without a full hearing, and some cities have started reducing the ridiculous fees associated with permit applications.
Now, am I celebrating? Cautiously. The settlement still needs final approval, and you know as well as I do that California lawmakers will look for any loophole to roll back these gains. But this proves what I've always said – the only way to get governments to respect our rights is to make them in court. SAF and their partners did good work here, and we'll be watching to make sure they don't try to backslide.
This is what happens when we fight back. Keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground.