The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners are pleased to announce a settlement resolving the remaining claims in California Rifle and Pistol Association v. LASD, SAF's challenge to numerous Second Amendment infringements by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD).

The settlement follows LASD's representation that it is now processing concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit applications within the 120-day period required by California law. The case, originally filed to address multiple systemic barriers to the right to carry in California, produced several significant victories along the way. SAF is joined in the case by the California Rifle and Pistol Association, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, Gun Owners of California and several individuals.

"This case was ambitious from the start, tackling several different obstacles Californians and visitors faced when trying to exercise their Second Amendment right to carry," said SAF Director of Legal Research and Education Kostas Moros. "While we settled the remaining claims against LASD once they demonstrated compliance with the statutory timelines, the broader impact of the litigation is clear: California residents and nonresidents alike now have more Second Amendment freedoms thanks to the diligent work of SAF and its partners. We will continue monitoring to ensure these gains are not rolled back."

Among the key results:

• A preliminary injunction forcing California to begin issuing CCW permits to qualified nonresidents – the first ruling in the country confirming that the right to carry does not stop at state lines. That relief was later made permanent when the Legislature enacted AB 1078, which essentially codified the terms of the injunction.
• A preliminary injunction against LASD's extreme multi-year wait times, which, combined with pressure from a parallel U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit that was filed after our case, led the department to bring its processing times into compliance with state law.
• Changes to California law eliminating automatic five-year bans on CCW eligibility based solely on temporary restraining orders that were dissolved without a full hearing.
• Reforms by the City of La Verne, which subsidized its psychological exam requirement and modestly reduced related fees after being sued over the high total cost of obtaining a permit; the fight on the high fees issue now continues in our lawsuit against Santa Clara.

"SAF is the leader when it comes to defending, securing and restoring our Second Amendment freedoms across the nation," said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. "Lawmakers and officials in California have long treated the Second Amendment as a second-class right, and this settlement proves we will not stop until those who wish to trample our constitutional rights are held accountable. Litigation remains one of the most effective tools we have to force compliance with the Constitution when government agencies refuse to do so on their own. This settlement marks meaningful progress, but our work to secure full recognition of the right to carry – including true interstate reciprocity – continues."

The settlement remains subject to final approval by the Los Angeles County Claims Board. The parallel U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against LASD is not resolved by this agreement.

For more information visit SAF.org.

The Second Amendment Foundation (saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the fundamental rights of individuals enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. SAF engages in aggressive legal action to ensure the principles of armed self-defense, personal liberty, and the ownership of arms are defended, secured, and restored. Through public education initiatives, SAF teaches the importance of the Second Amendment to promote a society that values and exercises the right to keep and bear arms.