AB1948 and AB1912 (2026): Concealed Carry License Reforms and Archery-Season Concealed Carry

What the Bills Would Do

Two bills in the 2026 session address California's concealed carry weapons (CCW) permit framework from different angles.

AB1948 would amend the requirements for obtaining a CCW license under Penal Code sections 26150-26225^[1]. California's CCW permitting system was substantially overhauled by SB2 (2023), which was enacted in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022). SB2 imposed new training requirements, expanded the list of "sensitive places" where concealed carry is prohibited, and established new criteria for permit issuance. AB1948 proposes further modifications to this framework.

AB1912 takes a narrower approach, addressing the specific situation of any person hunting deer during archery season^[2]. The bill would allow any person — not just CCW permit holders — to carry a concealed firearm for personal protection while hunting deer during archery season. This addresses a practical safety concern: archery hunters in remote areas may encounter dangerous wildlife or other threats but are currently prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm without a CCW permit. AB1912 would create a legal pathway for concealed carry during archery season without requiring a CCW license.

Current Status

AB 1948 was amended in the Assembly on March 19, 2026 to extend new CCW license validity from up to two years to up to three years, and to extend renewal license validity to up to six years (from the current two years). On a date in the March 17, 2026 hearing window, the Assembly Committee on Public Safety acted "amend, and do pass as amended" and referred the bill to the consent calendar. The bill was subsequently re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for fiscal review ^[3]. As of May 2026, AB 1948 was awaiting a suspense-file decision.

AB 1912 was referred to the Assembly Committees on Water, Parks, and Wildlife and Public Safety on March 2, 2026 ^[4]. The bill remains in early committee review as of May 2026, with no policy-committee vote recorded.

What to Watch

AB1948 is the more consequential bill. California's post-Bruen CCW framework under SB2 is already the subject of active federal litigation in May v. Bonta, where a federal judge issued preliminary injunctions against several of SB2's provisions. Any legislative modifications to the CCW framework interact with that ongoing litigation. AB1912 is narrower but addresses a practical safety issue for archery deer hunters who currently have no legal way to carry a concealed firearm for protection without a CCW permit.