ARTICLE 3. SKS Rifles [30710. - 30735.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 3.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30710. Section 30710.

Notwithstanding paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 30510, an “SKS rifle” under this article means all SKS rifles commonly referred to as “SKS Sporter” versions, manufactured to accept a detachable AK-47 magazine and imported into this state and sold by a licensed gun dealer, or otherwise lawfully possessed in this state by a resident of this state who is not a licensed gun dealer, between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30715. Section 30715.

(a) (1) Any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that operated a retail or other commercial firm, company, or corporation, and manufactured, distributed, transported, imported, possessed, possessed for sale, offered for sale, or transferred, for commercial purpose, an SKS rifle in California between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997, shall be immune from criminal prosecution under Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280. (2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply retroactively to any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that, is or was charged by complaint or indictment with a violation of former Section 12280 for conduct related to an SKS rifle, whether or not the case of that person, firm, company, or corporation is final. (b) (1) Any person who possessed, gave, loaned, or transferred an SKS rifle in California between January 1, 1992, and December 19, 1997, shall be immune from criminal prosecution under Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280. (2) The immunity provided in this subdivision shall apply retroactively to any person who was charged by complaint or indictment with a violation of former Section 12280 for conduct related to an SKS rifle, whether or not the case of that person is final. (c) Any SKS rifle in the possession of any person who, or firm, company, or corporation that, is described in subdivision (a) or (b), shall not be subject to seizure by law enforcement for violation of Article 2 (commencing with Section 30600) or former Section 12280 prior to January 1, 2000. (d) Any person, firm, company, or corporation, convicted under former Section 12280 for conduct relating to an SKS rifle, shall be permitted to withdraw a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or to reopen the case and assert the immunities provided in this article, if the court determines that the allowance of the immunity is in the interests of justice. The court shall interpret this article liberally to the benefit of the defendant. (e) For purposes of this section, “former Section 12280” refers to former Section 12280, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the Statutes of 1989 or as subsequently amended.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30720. Section 30720.

(a) Any person, firm, company, or corporation that is in possession of an SKS rifle shall do one of the following on or before January 1, 2000: (1) Relinquish the SKS rifle to the Department of Justice pursuant to subdivision (h) of former Section 12281. (2) Relinquish the SKS rifle to a law enforcement agency pursuant to former Section 12288, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the Statutes of 1989. (3) Dispose of the SKS rifle as permitted by former Section 12285, as it read in Section 20 of Chapter 23 of the Statutes of 1994. (b) Any person who has obtained title to an SKS rifle by bequest or intestate succession shall be required to comply with paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) unless that person otherwise complies with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of former Section 12285, as it read in Section 20 of Chapter 23 of the Statutes of 1994, or as subsequently amended. (c) Any SKS rifle relinquished to the department pursuant to this section shall be in a manner prescribed by the department.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30725. Section 30725.

(a) Any person who complies with Section 30720 shall be exempt from the prohibitions set forth in Section 30600 or 30605 for those acts by that person associated with complying with the requirements of Section 30720. (b) Failure to comply with Section 30720 is a public offense punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail, not exceeding one year.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30730. Section 30730.

(a) (1) The department shall purchase any SKS rifle relinquished pursuant to Section 30720 from funds appropriated for this purpose by the act amending former Section 12281 in the 1997–98 Regular Session of the Legislature or by subsequent budget acts or other legislation. (2) The department shall adopt regulations for this purchase program that include, but are not limited to, the manner of delivery, the reimbursement to be paid, and the manner in which persons shall be informed of the state purchase program. (3) Any person who relinquished possession of an SKS rifle to a law enforcement agency pursuant to any version of former Section 12288 prior to the effective date of the purchase program set forth in paragraph (1) shall be eligible to be reimbursed from the purchase program. The procedures for reimbursement pursuant to this paragraph shall be part of the regulations adopted by the department pursuant to paragraph (2). (b) In addition to the regulations required pursuant to subdivision (a), emergency regulations for the purchase program described in subdivision (a) shall be adopted pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 30735. Section 30735.

(a) The Department of Justice shall notify all district attorneys on or before January 31, 1999, of the provisions of former Section 12281. (b) The department shall identify all criminal prosecutions in the state for conduct related to SKS rifles on or before April 1, 1999. In all cases so identified by the Attorney General, the district attorneys shall inform defense counsel, or the defendant if the defendant is in propria persona, in writing, of the provisions of former Section 12281 on or before May 1, 1999. (c) Commencing no later than January 1, 1999, the department shall conduct a public education and notification program as described in Section 31115 or in former Section 12289, as added by Section 6 of Chapter 954 of the Statutes of 1991 or as subsequently amended.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026