As a CA resident, you do not have to register your handguns.
But, an unregistered handgun automatically turns a misdemeanor into a felony.
Also, handgun registration is only avialable to CA residents. So, a non-resident caught carrying concealed will always be charged with a felony.
This is sorta correct. However it is an impossibility to legaly own a handgun in the state of CA that is not registered to you if purchased it after the date PC 11106 was enacted. All handguns that go through an FFL in the state of CA are automaticly registered in the CA DOJ database to the purchaser. Since any firearm purchased, transfered, or sold in the state of CA must go through an FFL, and all handguns are entered into the database automaticly, all legal pistols in CA that were not owned prior to 11106 and never changed hands are in the database.
Furthermore anyone that moves into the state of CA must legaly submit a fee for every handgun brought into the state and list those handguns. They are required by law to do that within 60 days of moving to CA pursuant to PC sections PC sections 12001(n) and 12072(f)(2). When they do that the handguns are registered to them in the CA DOJ database.
So let me see if I've got this straight.
I get caught as a CA resident carrying concealed I get a misdemeanor for a first offense, but my freind from NV who visits for three days and brings his handgun and is caught, will get a felony because his handgun is not registered with CA DOJ.
You surely can't mean that a visitor can't bring a handgun or that he is required to register it for a brief visit?
Sorry, this doesn't pass the smell test. I do see where the CA resident could be charged with a felony in the case where he had an unregistered handgun, but I have a hard time believing a visitor would be charged a felony for a gun that presumably he didn't have to register.
Well unfortunately Quiet stated correctly. Anyone resident or not with a handgun not registered in the CA DOJ database pursuant to PC11106 is guilty of a felony if caught with a concealed/loaded firearm illegaly. Since only a resident is generaly registered that means anyone from out of state caught breaking the law by carrying is guilty of a felony.
However even if you are registered compliant to 11106 it becomes a felony offense if any other charges are made, so while you may be under the impression it is a misdemeanor(for first offense), under most situations an officer would discover it you will be charged with a felony. That includes many self defense cases.
Don't federal firearms laws override state ones? Doesn't the federal government permit anyone to have a gun in their vehicle if it is unloaded and in a locked container separate from the person?
CA state law allows that already, that is the legal way to transport a pistol in the state.
However that federal law only applies to someone traveling directly through a state to get to another state. It does not apply to anyone whos destination or part of thier trip includes visiting CA. So for example driving from Nevada to Oregon and going through CA it could be legal (though likely charged if found) to have assault weapons (per CA law) etc transported in compliance with federal law unloaded in locked containers (or other CA banned firearms.)
However once part of the trip includes stopping or visiting locations in CA not directly in route through the state the federal protection dissappears. So it most definately does not apply to anyone actualy visiting CA, and since CA is bordered by Mexico and an Ocean on the west, southwest, and south, and is shaped the way it is, that law is rarely invoked as only a couple routes go through it when traveling in a relatively straight line from one state to the other. The southern coast of Oregon as a starting point or destination could cause travelers to clip the Northeastern most portion of CA heading southeast from or northwest to it, however most other state to state routes won't take people through CA when going from one state to the other.
That obviously does not apply to the OP of this thread, and since carrying a pistol in compliance with federal law to gain protection from that law, and legaly transporting one in CA both require it unloaded and in a locked container, it is a mute point anyways even if it did apply.