The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department has agreed to speed up the licensing process for individuals who want to carry concealed semi-automatic rifles, in order to settle a US government lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by the US Department of Justice, accused the county of systematically and unconstitutionally denying Californians’ Second Amendment rights.
Settlement Details
A settlement was filed in Los Angeles federal court, which requires the county to continue meeting state deadlines for reviewing license applications. The county must also maintain a licensing regime consistent with the 2022 US Supreme Court landmark decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which expanded Americans’ rights to arm themselves in public.
According to the complaint, the sheriff’s department had been taking up to nine months to review license applications, and sometimes more than two years to interview applicants. Between January 2024 and March 2025, the department received 3,982 applications for new concealed carry licenses but approved only two.
The Justice Department said that Los Angeles has since reduced wait times and now meets applicable state deadlines, including that reviews begin within 90 days.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
