U.S. News

California Doubles the Tax on Guns and Ammunition

‘SMALL PRICE TO PAY’

Gov. Gavin Newsom also signed a law that would ban people from carrying guns in nearly all public places.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces new gun safety legislation in February
Justin Sullivan

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed two new laws that will double the taxes on guns and ammunition as well as ban people from carrying guns in nearly all public places. Newsom said the money raised from the tax hike will pay for more security at public schools and violence prevention programs. The federal government already taxes the sale of guns and ammunition by up to 11 percent—Newsom’s law will slap an additional 11 per cent on those sales. “I think this is a pretty modest investment in prevention and reducing those costs ultimately... The carnage, it’s too much. We can’t normalize it, we can’t accept it. This is a small price to pay,” he said.

Read it at AP