Enrolled  September 07, 2023
Passed  IN  Senate  September 05, 2023
Passed  IN  Assembly  May 08, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 02, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  February 22, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 301

Introduced by Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan
(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Berman and Mike Fong)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gabriel, Kalra, Papan, and Wicks)

January 26, 2023

An act to amend Section 18155 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 301, Bauer-Kahan. Gun violence restraining orders: body armor.
Existing law authorizes a court to issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order prohibiting the subject of the petition from having custody or control of, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition when it is shown that there is a substantial likelihood that the subject of the petition poses a significant danger of harm to themselves or to another person in the near future by having custody or control of, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm, and that the order is necessary to prevent personal injury to themselves or to another. Existing law requires the court, when determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exists, to consider evidence of, among other things, a recent threat of violence by the subject of the petition, and also authorizes the court to consider evidence of, among other things, recent acquisition of firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons by the subject of the petition.
This bill would additionally authorize the court to consider evidence of acquisition of body armor when determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exist.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 18155 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

18155.
 (a) (1) The court, before issuing an ex parte gun violence restraining order, shall examine on oath, the petitioner and any witness the petitioner may produce.
(2) In lieu of examining the petitioner and any witness the petitioner may produce, the court may require the petitioner and any witness to submit a written affidavit signed under oath.
(b) (1) In determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exist, the court shall consider all evidence of the following:
(A) A recent threat of violence or act of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward another.
(B) A recent threat of violence or act of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward themselves.
(C) A violation of an emergency protective order issued pursuant to Section 646.91 or Part 3 (commencing with Section 6240) of Division 10 of the Family Code that is in effect at the time the court is considering the petition.
(D) A recent violation of an unexpired protective order issued pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 10 of the Family Code, Section 136.2, Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Section 213.5 or 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(E) A conviction for any offense listed in Section 29805.
(F) A pattern of violent acts or violent threats within the past 12 months, including, but not limited to, threats of violence or acts of violence by the subject of the petition directed toward themselves or another.
(2) In determining whether grounds for a gun violence restraining order exist, the court may consider any other evidence of an increased risk for violence, including, but not limited to, evidence of any of the following:
(A) The unlawful and reckless use, display, or brandishing of a firearm by the subject of the petition.
(B) The history of use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force by the subject of the petition against another person.
(C) A prior arrest of the subject of the petition for a felony offense.
(D) A history of a violation by the subject of the petition of an emergency protective order issued pursuant to Section 646.91 or Part 3 (commencing with Section 6240) of Division 10 of the Family Code.
(E) A history of a violation by the subject of the petition of a protective order issued pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 10 of the Family Code, Section 136.2, Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or Section 213.5 or 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(F) Documentary evidence, including, but not limited to, police reports and records of convictions, of either recent criminal offenses by the subject of the petition that involve controlled substances or alcohol or ongoing abuse of controlled substances or alcohol by the subject of the petition.
(G) Evidence of recent acquisition of firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons.
(H) Evidence of acquisition of body armor, as defined in Section 16288.
(3) For the purposes of this subdivision, “recent” means within the six months prior to the date the petition was filed.
(c) If the court determines that the grounds to issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order exist, it shall issue an ex parte gun violence restraining order that prohibits the subject of the petition from having in their custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive a firearm or ammunition, and expires no later than 21 days from the date of the order.