Assembly BillIntroducedPenal
AB 1589: Firearms: silencers.
What AB 1589 does, verified June 8, 2026
<p>This bill aims to amend the California Penal Code to exempt specified individuals from the prohibition on possessing silencers. The existing law already allows certain peace officers, military, or naval personnel to possess silencers when on duty and authorized to do so. This bill further extends this exemption to include level I reserve peace officers.</p>
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Chen. (2026-05-27)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| May. 27, 2026 | Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Chen. |
| May. 20, 2026 | Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 5166.) |
| Mar. 05, 2026 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Mar. 04, 2026 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 3). |
| Feb. 02, 2026 | Referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
Latest bill textAmended version, May 20, 2026 · 405 words
| Amended IN Assembly May 20, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1589
| Introduced by Assembly Member Chen |
January 15, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 33415 of the Penal Code, relating to firearms.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1589, as amended, Chen. Firearms: silencers.
Existing law makes it a felony for any person, firm, or corporation to possess a silencer within this state. Existing law exempts specified actions from those provisions, including the possession of silencers by specified peace officers employed by specified law enforcement agencies or by military or naval forces, when on duty and when the use of silencers is authorized by the agency and is within the course and scope of their duties.
This bill would further exempt from the prohibition on possessing silencers specified level I reserve peace officers.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 33415 of the Penal Code is amended to read:33415.
Section 33410 shall not apply to, or affect, any of the following:(a) The sale to, purchase by, or possession of silencers by agencies listed in Section 830.1, or the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States, for use in the discharge of their official duties.
(b) The possession of silencers by regular, salaried, full-time peace officers who are employed by an agency listed in Section 830.1, or by the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States, when on duty and when the use of silencers is authorized by the agency and is within the course and scope of their duties.
(c) The possession of silencers by level I reserve peace officers, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 832.6, who are deputized or appointed by an agency listed in Section 830.1, when on duty and when the use of silencers is authorized by the agency and is within the course and scope of their duties. duties, if the silencer is owned by a law enforcement agency, and affixed to a rifle owned by a law enforcement agency, listed in Section 830.1.
(d) The manufacture, possession, transportation, or sale or other transfer of silencers to an entity described in subdivision (a) by dealers or manufacturers registered under Chapter 53 (commencing with Section 5801) of Title 26 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto.
Text of AB 1589 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions