A major Second Amendment lawsuit against California has taken an unexpected twist. In Hoffman v. Bonta, gun rights advocates initially scored a major victory when a federal judge ruled California’s ban on non-resident concealed carry unconstitutional and issued a permanent injunction. That ruling opened the door—briefly—for non-residents to apply for carry permits in the state.

However, that injunction has now been dissolved after California enacted Assembly Bill 1078, which took effect on January 1, 2026. The new law rewrote the carry statutes challenged in the case, prompting the court to erase the earlier injunction. While this technically ends the lawsuit, it doesn’t fully erase the win.

Under AB 1078, California was forced to create a statewide pathway for non-resident carry permits. While the process remains expensive, time-consuming, and restrictive—including firearm registration and extensive training—it does allow non-residents to apply without belonging to specific gun rights organizations.

In short, California’s non-resident carry ban was ruled unconstitutional, lawmakers changed the law to sidestep that ruling, and gun owners are left with a difficult but viable path forward. It’s not reciprocity or constitutional carry—but for now, it’s the only legal option for visitors who want to exercise their right to self-defense in California.