8/20/2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Concealed Weapon Licensing Policy
1/5
ORDINANCE
NO
An ordinance adding a new Section 55.21 to Chapter V o the Los Angeles
Municipal Code to require handguns located in a residence to be kept in a locked
container or disabled with a trigger lock.
WHEREAS
firearm injuries have a significant public health impact both
nationally and locally;
WHEREAS
between 1999 and 2010 over 8 300 unintentional shooting deaths
were reported in the United States including 2 383 children and young people under the
age of 21;
WHEREAS
on the average over 16 000 people in the United States are treated
each year in hospital emergency rooms for unintentional gunshot wounds;
WHEREAS
in 2010 firearms were used in 19 392 suicides in the United States
constituting almost 62 percent o all gun deaths;
WHEREAS over 50 percent
o
suicides are committed with a firearm;
WHEREAS
approximately 49 gun suicides were committed each day for the
years 2005-201 ;
WHEREAS
firearms were used in 44 percent of suicide deaths among persons
under age 25 in
2 1
;
WHEREAS
more than 75 percent o guns used in suicide attempts and
unintentional injuries o people under 19 years o age were stored in the residence of
the victim a relative or a friend;
WHEREAS
a 1991 study found that 8 percent of accidental shooting deaths
resulted from guns fired by children under the age of six;
WHEREAS
having a loaded or unlocked gun in the home is associated with an
increased risk
o
gun-related injury and death;
WHEREAS in 2013 more than five children under the age
o
12 were killed
each month by guns that were improperly stored and secured at the home of a family
member or friend;
WHEREAS children are particularly at risk of injury and death or causing injury
and death when they can access guns in their own homes or homes that they visit;
WHEREAS a 2005 study found that an estimated 1.69 million children age
18
and under are living
in
households with loaded and unlocked firearms. Many young
8/20/2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Concealed Weapon Licensing Policy
2/5
children,
including child
ren as young
s
three ye a
rs old , are st
rong enough
to fire
handgu
ns;
WHEREAS
mo
re than two t
hirds o schoo
l shooters ob
tained their g
uns from
th eir o
wn home or t
hat o a re lativ
e;
W
HEREAS quick
access t o loa
ded firearm s
heighten s th
e risk that a y
oung
person s im
pulsive deci
sion to comm
it suicide will
be carrie d ou
t without refl
ection or
se eking
help, an d tha
t the attemp
t will be fatal.
One third o
youths who d
ied by suicide
ha
d faced a cri
sis within the
previous 24
hours. Amon
g people w ho
ne arly d ied n
a
suicide at
tempt, almos
t a quarter in
dicated that fe
wer than five
minutes had
passed
betwee
n deciding o
n suicide and
making the a
ttempt. Whi l
e fewer than
10 percent o
f
suic
ide attempts
by other mea
ns are fatal, a
t least 85 pe
rcent o f firear
m suicide
attempts end
n
death;
WHEREA
S
g
uns kept in th
e home are m
ore likely to
be involved n
an
unin
tentional sh o
oting, crim ina
l assault, or u
sed n suicide
s and agains
t family and
f
riends rather
than n self-d
efense;
WHERE
AS only one n
ten firearm ho
micides n th
e shooter s h
ome
is
considered
justified. O f e
very ten firea
rm homicide
victims k illed
at the sh oote
r s
residen
ce, s ix were i
ntimate partn
ers or fam ily
members
o
t
he shooter, t
hree were
frien
ds or acquai
ntances
o
th e
shooter , and
only on e wa
s a stranger
to the shoote
r;
W
HEREAS apply
ing trigger loc
ks or using lo
ckboxes whe
n storing fire
arms n
the home r
educes the ri
sk o firearm
injury and de
ath;
WH
EREAS keeping
a firearm loc
ked when it is
not being ca
rried ensures
that it
cannot be
accessed an
d used by ot
hers without
the owners k
nowledge or
permission.
This
simple measu
re significan
tly decreases
the risk that
the gun will b
e used to com
mit
s
uicide, homic
ide or inflict i
njury, whethe
r intentionally
or unint entio
nally;
WHEREA
S
s
afe storage m
easures hav
e a demonstr
ated protecti
ve effect n
hom
es with childr
en and teena
gers where g
uns are store
d;
WHEREAS
th e
re is a wide c
onsensus am
ong medical
professional
s, police
ch iefs,
gun con trol a
dvocates an
d gun rights g
roups that ap
plying trigge
r locks or usin
g
lo
ckboxes to s
tore unsuper
vised guns n
the home pro
motes health
and safety;
WHEREA
S
th
e Internation
al Associatio
n o Chiefs
o Police recom
mends that
stat
e and local g
overnments m
andate safe
storage of fir
earms;
W
HEREAS th e A m
erican Acade
my o f Pediat
rics recomme
nds that, if fa
milies
must have
firearms in th
eir homes, th
e firearms sh
ould be store
d locked, un
loaded and
sepa
rate from lock
ed ammuniti
on;
8/20/2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Concealed Weapon Licensing Policy
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W
HE
RE
AS
, both
gu
n c
on
tr ol
and
gu
n r
igh
ts a
dvo
cat
es
end
ors
e t
he u
se
of
loc
kin
g d
evi
ces
wh
en
sto
rin g
gu
ns
to e
ns
ure
tha
t un
au
th o
riz e
d
or un
tra
in e
d p
ers
ons
ca
nn
ot u
se
th e
gu
n to
inf
lict
inju
ry
or d
ea
th .
Fo
r ex
am
ple,
th
e N
atio
nal
Ri
fle
Ass
oci
a tio
n 's
Ho
me
Fir
ear
m S
af
e ty
Ha
ndb
ook
, d
eve
lo p
ed
and
us
ed
as
par
t of
the
Na
tio
nal
Rif l
e A
sso
c ia
tio n
(N
RA
) B
asic
Fi
re a
rm
Tra
in in
g P
rog
ram
, e
m p
has
ize
s th
at
there
is
one genera l ru le tha t m ust be applied under all condit io ns: Store
gu
ns
so t
hey
a
re n
ot
acc
ess
ib le
to
un
tr ai
ned
or
un
auth
ori
zed
pe
rs o
ns.
T
he
NR
G
uid
e T
o T
he
Ba
sics
O
f Pe
rso
nal
Pr
ote
ctio
n In
Th
e H
om
e f
urth
er
exp
la in
s t
hat
all
sto
rag
e m
eth
od
s
de
sig
ned
to
pre
ven
t u
nau
th o
rize
d a
cc
ess
uti
lize
som
e
sor
t of
lo c
kin
g m
eth
od
;
W
HE
R E
AS
, req
uir in
g f
ir ea
rm
s to
be
sto
re d
wi
th t
r ig g
er
lo ck
s
or i
n a l
ock
ed
con
tai
ner
doe
s
not
sub
sta
ntia
ll y
bur
den
th
e ri
ght
or
a
bil
it y t
o u
se f
ir ea
rm
s fo
r s
elf
de
fe n
se
in th
e h
om
e;
W
H E
RE
A S
, the
lo
ckin
g r
equ
ir em
en
ts
app
ly o
nly
to
han
dg
uns
tha
t a
re n
ot
bein
g
la
wfu
lly c
arr
ied.
G
un
own
ers
an
d a
du
lt s o
ve
r 18
ye
ars
of
age
ma
y c
arr
y lo
ad
ed
and
unlocked handguns
n
the hom e at any t i
me
. T
he
safe
st
ora
ge
req
uire
m e
nts
als
o p
erm
it
o
wn
ers
to
stor
e th
e ir
ha
ndg
uns
fu
ll y l
oad
ed;
W
H
ER
EA
S, gu
n s
ecu
rity
do
es
not
pre
clu
de
qui
ck a
cce
ss
. F
or e
xam
pl
e,
a
fford
ab
le l
ock
box
es
usi
ng
S im
ple
x-ty
pe
loc
ks ,
wh
ic h
pop
op
en
im m
ed
iat
e ly
whe
n
sev
era
l ke
ys
or
p
us
hbu
tton
s a
re
to u
che
d
n a
pre
set
seq
ue
nce
, ar
e w
ide
ly a
vai
labl
e.
Us
ers
rep
ort
tha
t th
ey
can
re
tr iev
e a
lo
ade
d w
ea
pon
in u
st
tw
o to
th
ree
sec
on
ds,
and
th
a t t
he
loc
ks a
re
also
ea
sy
to
ope
n
n th
e d
ark.
Th
e N
R
de
sc
ribe
s th
is
ty pe
lo
ckb
ox
a
s p
ro v
id in
g a
go
od
co
mbi
nat
io n
of
sec
urit
y an
d q
uic
k a
cce
ss.
S
om
e lo
ckb
ox
es
also
fe at
ure
bio
m e
tric
loc
ks,
wh
ic h
pro
vid
e im
m
edia
te
acc
ess
wh
en
the
y s
can
th
e o
wne
r's
fin
ger
prin
t; a
nd
W
H E
RE
A S
,
p
ort
ab l
e lo
ckb
ox
es c
an
sto
re
load
ed
we
apo
ns
suc
h t
hat
the
y a
re
al
way
s w
ithi
n e
asy
re
ach
on
co
unte
rs,
tab
le s
o
r nig
hts
ta nd
s.
Su
ch
sa f
e ly
sto
red
w
eap
on
s ar
e m
ore
qu
ic k
ly a
nd
eas
il y
ret
riev
ed
for
use
in
self
-de
fen
se
th a
n u
nlo c
ked
g
uns
tha
t h
ave
be
en
hid
den
aw
ay
in
se ld
om
-us
ed
loc
atio
ns.
N
OW
, T
H E
R E
FO
R E
,
TH
E P
EO
PL
E O
F T
HE
C
ITY
O F
LO
S
A N
G E
LES
D
O O
RD
AI
N A
S
FO
LLO
W
S:
S
ec
tion
1.
A
new
Se
cti
on
55 .2
1 is
a
dde
d to
C
hap
te r
V o
f th
e L
os
Ang
ele
s
Mun
ic ip
al
Cod
e t
o re
ad
as
foll
ows
:
S
EC
. 5
5.2
1. S
A F
E
STO
R A
G
E O
F H
AN
DG
UN
S.
(
a)
De
fin
itio
ns.
1
R
esi
den
ce
sha
ll m
ea
n a
ny s
tru
ctu
re i
n te
nde
d
or us
ed
for
8/20/2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Concealed Weapon Licensing Policy
4/5
hum
an
habi
tatio
n, in
clud
ing,
but n
ot lim
ite d
to,
hous
es,
co nd
omi
nium
s, ro
om s
, in
law
un
its, m
ote
ls, h
otels
, sin
gle r
oom
occ
upan
cy's
, tim
e-sh
are s
, re c
re ati
onal
and
oth
er v
ehic
les w
here
hu
man
hab
itatio
n oc
curs
.
2.
Lo
cked
Co
ntai
ner
sha
ll m
ean
a se
cure
con
taine
r wh
ich is
fu l
ly
enclosed and locked by a padlock, key lock, combination lock or sim ilar locking
de
vice
.
3
.
H
andg
un
sh
all m
ean
any
pisto
l, re
volv
er or
o the
r f ir
earm
tha
t
is
c
apab
le o
f be i
ng c
once
aled
upo
n th
e pe
rson
, des
igne
d to
be u
sed
as a
w e
apon
,
cap
able
of e
xpell
ing a
pro
jecti
le by
the
force
o
a
ny e
xplo
sion
or o
th er
fo rm
of
c
omb
usti
on a
nd h
as a
barr
el le
ss th
an 1
6 in
ch es
in le
ng th
.
4
T
rigg
er L
ock
sh
all m
ean
a tr
igge
r loc
k th a
t
i
s l
isted
in t
he
Calif
orn ia
De
partm
ent
o J
ustic
e's l
ist o
f a pp
ro ve
d fir
earm
saf
ety d
evic
es a
nd th
at
is
id
enti
fied
as a
ppro
priat
e fo r
th at
han
dgun
by
re fe
re nc
e to
eithe
r the
manufacture r and model
o
the hand
gun
or to
the
phy
sical
cha
ra cte
risti
cs of
the
h
and
gun
that
matc
h th
ose
liste
d on
the
roste
r for
use
w ith
the
devi
ce u
nder
P en
al
Cod
e Se
ct io
n 23
655(
d).
(b
)
Proh
ib iti
on.
No
per
so n s
ha ll
ke e
p a h
and
gun
withi
n a
resid
ence
ow
ned
or c
ontr
olled
by
th at
pers
on u
nles
s the
han
dgu
n
i
s s
tore
d in
a loc
ke d
con
taine
r or
dis
able
d wit
h a
trigg
er lo
ck th
at h
as b
een
appr
ove d
by
the C
alifo
rn ia
Dep
artm
ent
of
J
us tic
e.
(c)
Ex
emp
tion
s.
The
prov
ision
s o
Sub
sect
ion (
b) sh
all n
ot a
pply
whe
n the
h
and
gun is
ca
rried
o
the p
ers o
n o f
an i
ndivi
dua l
ove
r the
age
o
18 or
u nd
er th
e co
ntrol
o f a p ea
ce o
ffice
r un
der P
ena
l Co
de S
ec tio
n 8
30.
d)
Pe
nalt
y.
Ever
y vio
la tio
n o f
this
Sec
tion
shall
con
stitu
te a
mis d
eme
ano
r
a
nd u
pon
con
victio
n sh
all b
e pu
nish
ed b
y a
fine
not t
o ex
ce ed
1,
000
or by
im p
riso
nme
nt in
the
coun
ty ja
il no
t to e
xce
ed s
ix mo
nths
, o r
by b
oth.
(e)
S
eve
rabil
ity.
If a
ny p
rovis
ion
of th
is or
dina
nce is
fou
nd t
o be
unc
onsti
tutio
nal o
r oth
erw
ise i
nvali
d by
any
c ou
rt o f
com
pete
nt ju
risdic
tion
, th a
t inv
alidit
y
sh
all n
ot af
fe ct
th e r
ema
ining
pro
vis io
ns o
f this
ord
inan
ce w
hich
can
be
im ple
men
ted
w
ithou
t the
inv
alid p
ro vi
sion
s, an
d to
this
end,
th e
prov
ision
s
o this
ord i
nanc
e ar
e
decl
are d
to b
e se
ve ra
ble .
The
C ity
Co
uncil
her
eby d
ecla
re s
th at
it w o
uld
have
a do
pted
this
ord
inan
ce a
nd e
ach
pro v
ision
th e
reof
irres
pect
ive
o wh
eth e
r any
o ne
or m
ore
pro
vis io
ns a
re fo
un d
inva
lid,
unco
nstit
ution
al o
r oth
erw i
se u
nenf
orce
able
.
8/20/2019 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Concealed Weapon Licensing Policy
5/5
Se
c. 2
The C i
ty Cler
k shall
certify
to the
passa
ge of t
his ord
inance
and h
ave it
p
ublish
ed in a
ccorda
nce wi
th Cou
ncil po
licy e i
ther in
a daily
new s
pape r
circula
ted
in the
City of
Los A
nge le
s
or
by
postin
g for t
en day
s in thr
ee pub
lic p la
ces i
n the Cit
y of
L
os Ang
eles:
one co
py on
the bul
letin bo
ard lo
cated a
t the M
ain S
treet e
ntrance
to the
Los An
geles
City Ha
ll; one
copy on
th e
bullet in
board
locate
d at th
e Main
Stree
t
entrance to the Los Angeles C ity Hall East;
and on
e copy
on the
bullet
in boa
rd loca
ted
at t
he Tem
ple S t
reet en
trance
to the
Los A
ngeles
Coun
ty Hall of
Rec
ords.
I hereb
y certi
fy tha t
this o r
dinanc
e was
passed
by th
e Coun
cil of t
he City
of
Los A
ngeles
at its
meetin
g of
HO LL
Y
L
W
OL O
TT C i
ty Cler
k
B
y
_
D
eputy
Appro
ved
M
ayor
Appro
ved as
to Fo
rm and
Legal
ity
M
ICHAE
L N . F
EUER
City A
ttorney
D
eputy
City A
ttorne
y
Date
- I?
-J
_
File No
CF 14
-1553
m :
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n\brian so
ttile\stora
ge
of
ha ng
uns\stora
ge of han
dguns ord
inance f i n l 6
18
1
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