AB1589 (2026): Narrow Silencer Exception for Level I Reserve Peace Officers

What the Bill Would Do

Assembly Bill 1589 proposed amending Penal Code section 33415 to add an exception to the state's ban on firearm silencers (suppressors)^[1]. Current law makes possession of a silencer a felony, subject to exceptions for specified agencies and on-duty officers and military personnel, and for registered dealers or manufacturers transferring silencers to specified agencies or military forces. The bill proposed allowing Level I reserve peace officers appointed or deputized by a section 830.1 agency to possess silencers on duty with agency authorization and within the scope of their duties, if both the silencer and the rifle to which it is affixed are owned by a section 830.1 agency.

This is a narrow law enforcement provision, not a civilian legalization measure. California's general prohibition on civilian silencer ownership would remain fully intact. The bill does not affect the status of California as one of the states that ban civilian suppressor possession. The bill identifies Level I reserve peace officers by reference to Penal Code section 832.6(a)(1)^[2].

Current Status

AB 1589 did not pass in the 2025-26 session. It reached third reading and was amended on May 20, 2026. Its last recorded action was placement on the Assembly inactive file on May 27, 2026, at the request of Assembly Member Chen. ^[2]

What to Watch

The proposed exception required agency authorization, on-duty use within the scope of official duties, and an agency-owned silencer affixed to an agency-owned rifle. The bill did not become law.

The federal regulatory landscape on suppressors is also shifting. Federal legislation in 2025 reduced the federal suppressor transfer tax to $0 effective January 1, 2026. Since October 9, 2026, ATF does not enforce National Firearms Act registration or the prior approval to make or transfer silencers.^[3] California's state-level prohibition under PC 33410 is independent of the federal scheme. On August 5, 2026, a federal district court in Texas held provisions of the National Firearms Act unconstitutional as applied to the plaintiff groups and states in that case. DOJ Information Bulletin 2026-DLE-16 states that silencers remain illegal to possess or sell in California under the Penal Code, including for members of those plaintiff groups. Federal deregulation does not legalize civilian suppressor possession in California. AB 1589 did not become law and did not change civilian silencer restrictions. Civilian silencer ownership in California remains a felony under PC 33410 regardless of the federal change or this bill's outcome.