California Labor Code 9153 – (a) A firearm or blank shall only be permitted on motion picture …
(a) A firearm or blank shall only be permitted on motion picture productions, for the purposes of rehearsal, actor training, the filming of an on-camera sequence, or other development of content of the motion picture production with individuals of the performers or crew, under the following conditions:
(1) Under the custody and control of a qualified property master, armorer, or assistant property master.
Terms Used In California Labor Code 9153
- Blank: means a cartridge consisting of a primer cap, a shell case, and a quantity of gunpowder, but that does not contain a projectile. See California Labor Code 9151
- committee: means the California group composed of union, guild, and employer representatives that establishes safety guidelines for motion picture production and that meets regularly. See California Labor Code 9151
- Department: means the Department of Industrial Relations. See California Labor Code 6302
- Division: means the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. See California Labor Code 9151
- Employer: means an employer engaged in producing a motion picture production. See California Labor Code 9151
- Firearm: means a device, designed to expel through a barrel a projectile by the force of an explosion or other form of combustion, including the frame or receiver of the device. See California Labor Code 9151
- Motion picture production: means the development or creation of motion pictures, television programs, streaming productions, commercial advertisements, music videos, or any other moving images, including, but not limited to, productions made for entertainment, commercial, religious, or educational purposes. See California Labor Code 9151
- Person: means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Labor Code 18
(2) While handling the firearm, the property master, armorer, or assistant property master is the only person who can hand that firearm to the performer or cast or crew member standing in for that performer during the scene. Only the property master, armorer, or assistant property master shall collect the firearm upon completion of the activity.
(3) A property master, armorer, or assistant property master shall have no other duties, responsibilities, or obligations during the time the property master, armorer, or assistant property master is preparing for the use of a firearm and that a firearm is in the possession of the performer. It remains their sole responsibility until firearms are no longer in use and have been locked away.
(4) As indicated in safety bulletins of the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee, a safety meeting shall be conducted when firearms are involved in a scene.
(5) The employer shall identify a person for performers, crew, labor organization representatives, and the division to contact for issues regarding compliance.
(6) The employer has ensured sufficient staffing of qualified property masters, armorers, or assistant property masters.
(b) A qualified property master, armorer, or assistant property master handling a firearm in the course of the motion picture production shall have all of the following:
(1) A current entertainment firearms permit or current dangerous weapons permit or license issued by the California Department of Justice.
(2) A joint entertainment industry labor-management firearm safety industry-specific training course certificate with training on industry protocols, state and federal law, and best practices on safety.
(3) One of the following:
(A) A signed rental sheet or copy of a completed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives “ATF Form 4473,” stating the lawful transfer of Title 1 Firearms to that property master, armorer, or assistant property master or a copy of a current Federal Firearms License (FFL) establishing the property master, armorer, or assistant property master as the lawful possessor of the firearms who may obtain and retain custody of all firearms used in motion picture productions.
(B) In the event of the use of restricted firearms classified under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Firearms Act Division (ATF NFA) rules, and including “assault weapons,” as defined by California law, a set of current dangerous weapons permits issued by the Department of Justice, or in the absence of such permits, a clearly dated extension letter for 120 days from the Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms permitting the property master, armorer, or assistant property master to continue their activities with restricted firearms, and a signed rental sheet from the federally licensed armory providing the firearms, or a current FFL and current ATF Special Occupational Tax Stamp establishing lawful possession of restricted firearms by that property master, armorer, or assistant property master shall be presented for the property master, armorer, or assistant property master to obtain and retain custody of NFA firearms. In such a case, the dangerous weapons permits issued by the Department of Justice shall supersede the entertainment firearms permit.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 56, Sec. 3. (SB 132) Effective July 10, 2023. Operative January 1, 2025, pursuant to Section 9161.)