California Is Attempting an Expedited End Run Around the 2A

California is trying to sneak in a ruling that will exclude almost everyone except law enforcement from teaching a concealed carry class.

The California Department of Justice sent out a notification on Monday about some proposed changes in California’s concealed carry instructor qualifications. The changes might mean more than half of the current qualified instructors could no longer teach a concealed carry class in California.

Some instructors have told me they didn’t even get the email, and the deadline to voice any concerns or disapproval is this Friday. The DOJ will make the final decision about the rule change, and they will need no vote from the state legislature to pass it. This is being rushed through and will go into effect on January 1st.

Currently, most law enforcement agencies have specified that you need an NRA or USCCA Instructor certification to teach concealed carry classes, which is the same standard almost every state has.

With this new proposed “rule,” instructors wishing to continue teaching concealed carry classes must attend a minimum 40-hour California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Firearms Instructor course. Many schools that host this limit enrollment to active law enforcement officers only, with an average cost of $1000, not including ammunition and travel expenses.

The other option is to become a California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) Firearms Instructor, which requires Law Enforcement Instructor Experience or NRA Law Enforcement Instructor Certification, costs $350 for the initial application (plus live scan fees), and takes approximately 75–90 days (according to their own website).

Another option mentions “California Accredited School,” but the DOJ does not provide a list of recognized or approved “schools,” so, in reality, this option is not viable.

So, if you’re not in law enforcement or do not meet the requirements to become a security guard company, you’re out of luck. Even if you are already an instructor.

I asked Matthew Haywood, a California concealed carry instructor if it would disqualify current instructors from being able to certify people.

“In my local area of the Central Valley, I know many instructors who will have to stop teaching their mainstay of business, CCW certification. Although this will financially benefit eligible instructors, the strain of attempting to hold more classes that are at full capacity will make it difficult for applicants to attend a class. Current instructors, including myself, are already struggling to reserve range facilities to accommodate the new training requirements.”

Gary Brennan is a California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) board member. He said in a LinkedIn post:

“This will put about 60% of state CCW instructors out of the CCW business, leaving a huge deficit of state-wide instructors.” He continued, “Their goal is to make CCW Instructor Qualifications so difficult that instructor numbers will suffer, leading to reductions in California citizens availability to complete the new 16-hour classroom course of instruction once again punishing the most law-abiding, background-checked people in the state.”

Matt Haywood pointed out this added change along with the new restricted qualifications.

“One of the biggest concerns is that the “rule” says “any person” may file a complaint against an instructor for being “unsafe” or “not pursuant to PC 26165″ with no recourse. Reading it by the letter of the law, this means everyone (even if they aren’t students) can lodge a complaint, and that instructor may face a revocation of his status with the state without due process.”

What it all boils down to is that you will have to be a law enforcement firearms instructor to teach a concealed carry class or meet the same rigorous requirements as a security guard firm to conduct a civilian concealed carry class.

If you think this doesn’t affect you as an instructor, remember that these rulings become templates other states use to draft laws where you live. As a concealed carry holder or someone looking to get their California CCW, this will add a very lengthy amount of time before you can get into a class and most likely substantially increase the price. It’s supply and demand.

Get involved and speak out. This is another attempt by California to laugh in the face of the US Supreme Court and its ruling on CCW licensing schemes in NYSRPA v. Bruen.

You can find phone numbers and contact information, including emails, on the CRPA website.

You can make comments opposing the change here.