California seeks new gun restrictions following shootings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California could soon ban people from carrying guns in nearly all public places as Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies in the state Legislature seek to test the limits of the U.S. Supreme Court’s new conservative majority in the aftermath of six mass shootings last month that left 29 people dead

Churches, public libraries, zoos, amusement parks, playgrounds, banks and all other privately owned businesses that are open to the public would be gun-free zones — even for people who have a permit to carry concealed guns -- under new legislation announced Wednesday. The one exception would be for business owners or churches who put up a sign that guns are OK on their property.

“You don’t need a gun to go to Dodger Stadium or to your daughter’s AYSO soccer game,” said Anthony Portantino, a Democratic state senator from La Cañada Flintridge and the author of the bill.

The bill is California’s next move in its chess match with the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority over guns and where people are allowed to have them. Last year, the court struck down California’s rules that required a person to give a reason for wanting a permit to carry a concealed gun — such as a threat to their safety.

That ruling set new standards for how states can regulate guns. This proposal is California’s response to those new standards, a carefully crafted bill supporters believe complies with the court’s ruling while also imposing tough new restrictions.

Portantino, who recently announced a run for Congress, said he wrote the bill expecting it to be challenged in court. While the bill would ban people from carrying guns in nearly all public places, it includes a broad exception for business owners who put up a sign saying guns are OK on their property.