A California Democrat has filed legislation that would enact a mandatory annual gun census among the state's 13 million legal firearms owners. 
 
As something of a love letter to national anti-gun groups, state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) introduced SB 1160 on Feb. 14, a measure to require gun owners to register their firearms with the California Department of Justice each year. Those who don't want to register their guns can turn them over to the state without reimbursement. Meanwhile, those found with an unregistered firearm would be subject to a $1,000 fine. 
 
Portantino, who has been a state lawmaker since 2006 and has backed dozens of gun control regulations since then that have been signed into law, painted his new bill as a safety measure. 
 
"SB 1160 will give the state better data and help us understand how many firearms are in private hands and who owns them," Portantino said in a statement. "Currently, we only have rough estimates on how many firearms are in California. This important step toward registration will also increase accountability and responsible gun ownership as we collectively endeavor to increase public safety."
 
The bill would also require the state DOJ to establish and maintain a system to keep track of the registry and make it available to law enforcement agencies. This comes as the state has had a spotty record over the years with maintaining the confidentiality of gun owners’ records. 
 
In 2022, the personal data of roughly 192,000 individuals who had applied for a concealed carry weapons permit in California was unintentionally disclosed online. An investigation found the leak was "due to a number of deficiencies within DOJ including lack of training, expertise, and professional rigor; insufficient documentation, policies, and procedures; and inadequate oversight."