In 2013, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 703.
That bill allowed “honorably separated Level 1 reserve peace officers” to carry
concealed firearms on the same basis as “honorably retired full-time peace
officers.” At the time AB 703 became effective, the California Penal Code
allowed the possession of high-capacity magazines by currently sworn full-time
and reserve peace officers. It also allowed the continued possession of
high-capacity magazines by California residents who lawfully acquired them
prior to the year 2000 and by retired peace officers who acquired them during
the course of their active duty.
However, in 2016, Proposition 63 passed. It required
all persons, with few exceptions, to “divest themselves of high-capacity
magazines by July 1, 2017.” Proposition 63 carved out an exemption for “honorably retired
peace officers.” Due to a technical oversight, Proposition 63 did not exempt
“honorably separated Level 1 reserve peace officers.” Accordingly, numerous retired reserve police
officers were being forced to dispose of any high-capacity magazines possessed
by them on or prior to July 1, 2017. AB
1192 fixes that technical oversight and allows retired reserve officers to
continue possessing high capacity magazines.
