AB2339 and SB1220 (2026): Expanding Prohibited Persons Categories

What the Bills Would Do

Two parallel bills in the 2026 session would expand California's already extensive list of persons prohibited from possessing firearms.

AB2339 has been re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety as of March 17, 2026^[1]. SB1220 was referred to the Senate Committee on Public Safety on March 4, 2026^[2].

California's prohibited persons framework is among the most extensive in the country. Penal Code sections 29800-29905 prohibit firearm possession by convicted felons, persons convicted of specified misdemeanors (including domestic violence offenses under PC 29805), individuals subject to certain restraining orders, persons adjudicated as mentally disordered, and several other categories. The state also maintains the Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS), which cross-references firearm ownership records against prohibited person databases to identify individuals who acquired firearms legally but subsequently became prohibited^[3].

Current Status

AB2339 was re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety on March 17, 2026. SB1220 was referred to the Senate Committee on Public Safety on March 4, 2026^[4]. Both are in early committee stages.

What to Watch

The specific conduct or status that would trigger a new firearms prohibition is the critical detail. Each new prohibited category must withstand constitutional scrutiny under the Bruen framework, which requires a historical analogue for the restriction. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Rahimi (2024) upheld the prohibition on firearm possession by individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders, providing some guidance on the permissible scope of prohibition categories. Any new category that lacks a clear historical analogue will face heightened legal risk. Gun owners should review whether either bill could apply to their circumstances.