San Francisco is about to start issuing many more concealed carry permits; here is what it means

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — As Democratic lawmakers call for tougher gun controls in light of mass shootings in California, a gun law in San Francisco is being relaxed.

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department just approved its first concealed carry license since a Supreme Court ruling last year eased eligibility requirements for who can carry a firearm in audience.

A Concealed Carry Permit, or CCW, allows ordinary citizens to legally carry a gun in public. For years, San Francisco law made it nearly impossible to get one. San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said that before the ruling, only someone considered a target, such as a judge or a diamond jeweler, could be eligible for a license.

VIDEO: How the Supreme Court’s Concealed Carry Ruling Could Impact Bay Area Gun Owners

But, said Sheriff Miyamoto, that has now changed in light of the Brown decision.

“The significant change from the Brown decision was that they removed the ‘good cause’ requirement for someone applying for a CCW license,” Miyamoto told ABC7 News. “Which basically means as long as you clear our vetting process, our procedures background and as long as you take a safety course and show that you are responsible, you have the possibility of having a license.”

Miyamoto said the city has been processing 72 applications so far and expects to receive nearly 100 to 200 more over the next year. “Which is very different from the four we’ve dealt with in the last 10 years,” he said.

According to Miyamoto, someone with a CCW permit will not be able to bring this firearm into government buildings or schools. Private companies can also refuse to serve a person carrying a firearm.

San Francisco, Miyamoto said, is also the first county in the Bay Area that requires applicants to pass a psychological exam to be approved.

RELATED: SCOTUS Overturns NYC Gun Law That Should Allow More People To Carry Concealed Firearms

The change, however, reflects the growing hurdles gun control advocates face in California as federal judges and the Supreme Court grapple with state and local gun laws. Governor Newsom called the judges by name during the gun control appeal after the Half Moon Bay shooting.

In a statement, the California Rifle And Pistol Association said, “CRPA is thrilled that San Francisco has taken this important first step to finally honor the right to carry.” The group criticized the city for taking so long to approve the first application.

Meanwhile, city lawmakers say they plan to fight back.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Catherine Stefani said in a statement that she was working on legislation to create “sensitive areas” where guns will be banned.

“The Brown decision was a dangerous step backwards. In clear terms, this will lead to irresponsible and dangerous people carrying weapons in public,” the statement read. will create conditions necessary for obtaining a permit.

San Francisco supervisor Hillary Ronen said she also wants to put limits on people with CCW licenses.

VIDEO: State and local politicians advocate for tougher gun laws nationwide

“I would be 100% in favor of that,” Ronen said of Stefani’s proposal.

“San Francisco has been at the forefront of gun control,” she added. “Weapons are not sold in our city, thank God. And any setback is a loss for us, and we will fight it every step of the way.”

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said Tuesday she was not ready to comment on the city’s loosening of CCW laws. ABC7 News asked for its reaction to federal judges’ effort to target local gun laws.

“I have very serious concerns that people are using any means necessary to gain access to guns, period,” Breed said. “Whether legally or illegally, it impacts all of us because, as you can see with these shootings, it’s devastating to our communities. It affects us in some of the most horrific ways. And we definitely need to fix it and not allow loopholes to prevent firearms from getting into the hands of people in general.”

The first applicant to be approved for a permit in San Francisco must still complete a firearms training program in order to obtain the permit.

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