California law restricting concealed carry faces legal challenges

Senate Bill 2 prohibits people with concealed carry permits from bringing weapons into churches and other “sensitive” places.

A new California law, as of this writing, has been blocked, unblocked and appealed through the legal system. Although the outcome is uncertain, the intent of California Senate Bill 2 is to prohibit concealed carry permit holders from bringing concealed weapons into specific places, including churches.

However, an important qualification needs to be made. Senate Bill 2 does not prohibit people who are designated, employed, or who otherwise perform "security" duties at a church from carrying a weapon (whether concealed or openly carried) on the church's premises. For example, if the church hires a private security service whose employees have gun permits, there will be no problem for them to be on the church's premises, and no worries about insurance coverage.

If Senate Bill 2 survives the legal challenges, it will mean that people not designated or employed to perform church security and who carry a weapon into “sensitive” places could be prosecuted and lose their firearms as a result.

This information has been provided by Max Herr of Church and Ministry Compliance Consulting.