Title 20 - Firearm Industry Responsibility Act

California Civil Code — §§ 3273.50-3273.55

Sections (5)

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 636, Sec. 1.5. (AB 1263) Effective January 1, 2026.

As used in this title, the following definitions apply:

(a)“Ammunition” has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 16150 of the Penal Code.

(b)“Firearm” has the same meaning as provided in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 16520 of the Penal Code.

(c)“Firearm accessory” means an attachment or device designed or adapted to be inserted into, affixed onto, or used in conjunction with a firearm that is designed, intended, or functions to

increase a firearm’s rate of fire or to increase the speed at which a person may reload a firearm or replace the magazine, or any other attachment or device described in subdivision (a) of Section 30515 of the Penal Code that may render a firearm an assault weapon when inserted into, affixed onto, or used in conjunction with a firearm. The term firearm accessory also includes any other device, tool, kit, part, or parts set that is clearly designed and intended for use in manufacturing firearms.

(d)“Firearm-related product” means a firearm, ammunition, a firearm precursor part, a firearm component, firearm manufacturing machine, and a firearm accessory that meets any of the following conditions:

(1)The item is sold, made, or distributed in California.

(2)The item is

intended to be sold or distributed in California.

(3)The item is or was possessed in California and it was reasonably foreseeable that the item would be possessed in California.

(e)“Firearm precursor part” has the same meaning as provided in Section 16531 of the Penal Code.

(f)“Firearm industry member” shall mean a person, firm, corporation, company, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity or association engaged in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, wholesale sale, or retail sale of firearm-related products.

(g)“Firearm manufacturing machine” means a three-dimensional printer, as defined in Section 29185 of the Penal Code,

a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine, or a similar machine, that is marketed or sold as or is reasonably designed or intended to be used to manufacture or produce firearms, firearm components, or firearm accessories.

(h)“Reasonable controls” means reasonable procedures, acts, or practices that are designed, implemented, and enforced to do the following:

(1)Prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or another or of possessing or using a firearm-related product unlawfully.

(2)Prevent the loss or theft of a firearm-related product from the firearm industry member.

(3)Ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of California and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product.

(4)Prevent the installation and use of a pistol converter, as defined in Section 17015 of the Penal Code, with a firearm.

§ 3273.51

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 636, Sec. 2. (AB 1263) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)A firearm industry member shall comply with the firearm industry standard of conduct. It shall be a violation of the firearm industry standard of conduct for a firearm industry member to fail to comply with any requirement of this section.

(b)A firearm industry member shall do both of the following:

(1)Establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls.

(2)Take reasonable precautions to ensure that the firearm industry member does not sell, distribute, or provide a firearm-related product to a downstream distributor or retailer of firearm-related products

who fails to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls.

(c)A firearm industry member shall not manufacture, market, import, offer for wholesale sale, or offer for retail sale a firearm-related product that is abnormally dangerous and likely to create an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety in California. For the purposes of this subdivision, the following shall apply:

(1)A firearm-related product shall not be considered abnormally dangerous and likely to create an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety based on a firearm’s inherent capacity to cause injury or lethal harm.

(2)There shall be a presumption that a firearm-related product is abnormally dangerous and

likely to create an unreasonable risk of harm to public health and safety if any of the following is true:

(A)The firearm-related product’s features render the product most suitable for assaultive purposes instead of lawful self-defense, hunting, or other legitimate sport and recreational activities.

(B)The firearm-related product is designed, sold, or marketed in a manner that foreseeably promotes conversion of legal firearm-related products into illegal firearm-related products.

(C)The firearm-related product is designed, sold, or marketed in a manner that is targeted at individuals who are legally prohibited from accessing firearms.

(d)A firearm industry member shall

not engage in any conduct related to the sale or marketing of firearm-related products that is in violation of the following sections:

(1)Paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 1770.

(2)Section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code.

(3)Section 17500 of the Business and Professions Code.

(4)Section 17508 of the Business and Professions Code.

(e)(1) Prior to completing the sale or delivery in California or to a California resident of a firearm accessory or a firearm manufacturing machine, as those terms are defined in Section 3273.50,

or of a firearm barrel unattached to a firearm, a firearm industry member shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(A) The firearm industry member shall provide a prospective purchaser with a clear and conspicuous notice of the information provided in paragraph (2).

(B) The firearm industry member shall receive an acknowledgment from the prospective purchaser attesting that the prospective purchaser received and understands the notice provided in paragraph (2).

(C) The firearm industry member shall require the prospective purchaser to provide proof of age and identity verifying that the prospective purchaser is at least 18 years of age.

(2)The notice described in paragraph (1) shall clearly notify the prospective purchaser that it is generally a crime in California to engage in any of the following conduct without a valid license to manufacture firearms:

(A)Manufacturing more than three firearms per calendar year in California.

(B)Manufacturing a firearm using a three-dimensional printer or CNC milling machine.

(C)Manufacturing a firearm for the purpose of selling or transferring ownership of that firearm to another individual who is not licensed to manufacture firearms.

(D)Manufacturing a firearm for the purpose of selling, loaning, or transferring that firearm, with the

intent to complete the sale, loan, or transfer without a required background check initiated by a licensed firearms dealer.

(E)Allowing, facilitating, aiding, or abetting the manufacture of a firearm by a person who is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.

(F)Manufacturing, or causing the manufacture of, assault weapons, machineguns, undetectable firearms, unserialized firearms, unsafe handguns that are not on the Department of Justice roster of handguns certified for sale in California, or other generally prohibited weapons.

(3)For shipment and delivery of a firearm barrel, firearm accessory, or firearm manufacturing machine, the firearm industry member shall do all of the following:

(A)Ensure all packages are conspicuously labeled with the words: “Signature and proof of identification of person aged 18 years or older required for delivery.”

(B)Ensure the shipping instructions list an address that matches the purchaser’s identification.

(C)Require the purchaser, upon delivery, to present a courier with proof of identification and the purchaser’s signature in order to receive the item.

(4)This subdivision does not apply to the sale or delivery of a firearm barrel, firearm accessory, or firearm manufacturing machine to any of the following:

(A)A federally licensed firearms

dealer, manufacturer, or importer.

(B)A licensed ammunition vendor.

(C)A member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard, while on duty and acting within the scope and course of employment, or any law enforcement agency or law enforcement officer while on duty and acting within the scope and course of employment.

(D)A forensic laboratory.

(E)A wholesaler.

(5)This subdivision does not apply to the delivery of a firearm barrel, firearm accessory, or firearm manufacturing machine to a licensed common carrier or an authorized agent or employee of a licensed common

carrier, when acting in the course and scope of duties incident to the delivery of or receipt of these items.

§ 3273.52

Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 98, Sec. 3. (AB 1594) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative July 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 3273.55.

(a)An act or omission by a firearm industry member in violation of the firearm industry standard of conduct set forth in Section 3273.51 shall be actionable under this section.

(b)A person who has suffered harm in California because of a firearm industry member’s conduct described by subdivision (a) may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c)(1) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of the State of California to enforce this title and remedy harm caused by a violation of this title.

(2)A city attorney

may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of that city to enforce this title and remedy harm caused by a violation of this title.

(3)A county counsel may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of that county to enforce this title and remedy harm caused by a violation of this title.

(d)If a court determines that a firearm industry member engaged in conduct described by subdivision (a), the court may award any or all of the following:

(1)Injunctive relief sufficient to prevent the firearm industry member and any other defendant from further violating the law.

(2)Damages.

(3)Attorney’s fees and

costs.

(4)Any other appropriate relief necessary to enforce this title and remedy the harm caused by the conduct.

(e)(1) In an action alleging that a firearm industry member failed to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls in violation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 3273.51, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the firearm industry member failed to implement reasonable controls if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(A) The firearm industry member’s action or failure to act created a reasonably foreseeable risk that the harm alleged by the claimant would occur.

(B) The firearm industry member could have established, implemented, and enforced reasonable controls to prevent or

substantially mitigate the risk that the harm would occur.

(2)If the rebuttable presumption described by paragraph (1) is established, the firearm industry member has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the firearm industry member established, implemented, and enforced reasonable controls.

(f)An intervening act by a third party, including, but not limited to, criminal misuse of a firearm-related product, shall not preclude a firearm industry member from liability under this section.

§ 3273.54

Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 98, Sec. 3. (AB 1594) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative July 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 3273.55.

(a)This title shall not be construed or implied to limit or impair in any way the right of a person or entity to pursue a legal action under any other authority.

(b)This title shall not be construed or implied to limit or impair in any way an obligation or requirement placed on a firearm industry member by any other authority.

(c)This title shall be construed and applied in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of the California and the United States Constitutions.

§ 3273.55

Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 98, Sec. 3. (AB 1594) Effective January 1, 2023.

This title shall become operative on July 1, 2023.