SACRAMENTO, CA (August 21, 2017) — The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), law abiding Concealed Carry Permit holders and local education officials see AB 424 (McCarty) as an attempt to subvert the authority of local education officials to make crucial decisions in regards to the safety of their students and staff.    

AB 424, which currently awaits a vote on the floor of the California State Senate, removes the long time practice of allowing school district superintendents and/or their designees the ability to decide who (if anyone) would be allowed to possess a firearm on school grounds. This ability has been based on the idea that decisions are best made by those who are most familiar with the needs and values of their community.

“One has to wonder why there is a need to remove such authority”, ponders Craig DeLuz, Spokesman for FPC. “Has there been an uptick in school shootings? No. Has there been an increase in the number of firearms being found on school grounds? No. Has there been an increase in any negative incidents relating to Concealed Carry Permit holders? No. In fact, there has not been one incident involving a CCW holder on school grounds in the state of California, ever.”

Until recently,  those who possessed a Concealed Carry Permit were exempted from the School Gun Free Zone Act, which prohibited possession of firearms or ammunition within 1000 feet of a school or university. In  2015 State Senator Lois Wolk authored SB 707 which eliminated the statewide exemption, but left in place the ability for local education officials to provide exemptions within their own districts.  

“The Legislature cannot claim to support local control and then attempt to remove that authority because they disagree with outcomes of those decisions.” stated DeLuz, who also serves as a Trustee for the Robla Elementary School District. He went on to note that, “Even the California School Boards Association has issues with this power grab, as demonstrated by their choosing to ‘Disapprove’ of AB 424.”

Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.