Ever since Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 2 into law, several Northern California counties have been openly resistant, with yet another county rejecting the enforcement of this legislation within its jurisdiction.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to permit concealed weapons in local government buildings, in direct defiance of Newsom’s SB2 bill.
SB2 aims to prohibit Californians, including those with concealed carry weapons permits (CCWs), from carrying firearms in 26 types of public places, including parks, sports stadiums, hospitals, and places of worship.
Shasta County’s opposition to SB2 has been extensively documented in recent months. In a video posted on YouTube at the beginning of 2024, Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson declared that he and his deputies would not enforce the bill’s restrictions, considering them “unconstitutional.”
“We will not expend our time and efforts to address such needless and unconstitutional legislation,” stated Johnson.
The LA Times notes that this vote follows a resolution passed by the Shasta County Board of Supervisors six months ago, which was described as “symbolic” and affirmed the county’s commitment to use all lawful means to support and defend the Second Amendment.
Shasta County now joins the growing list of counties opposing California’s new gun law, alongside Placer County, Sutter County, and Yuba County.