A decade ago, California passed a groundbreaking law that gave families, friends, and law enforcement a powerful tool to prevent gun violence before it happens. Now, ten years later, the data proves it’s actually working.

California’s Gun Violence Restraining Order law, commonly known as the “red flag law”, was born out of tragedy. In 2014, a mass shooting near UC Santa Barbara left six people dead and fourteen injured, despite clear warning signs that the perpetrator posed a danger. Grieving families channeled their pain into activism, pushing for legislation that would allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from people in crisis. When the law took effect in 2016, California became a national leader on gun safety, inspiring more than 20 other states to adopt similar measures.

The latest data shows the law’s impact is accelerating. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of longer-term restraining orders issued each year more than doubled. In 2024 alone, California courts issued these orders against 1,727 individuals found to pose a significant danger of firearm violence. These aren’t just numbers, they represent potential lives saved and tragedies prevented.

What makes this even more compelling is California’s overall performance on gun safety. From 2023 to 2025, the state had 38 percent fewer people shot or killed in mass shooting incidents per capita compared to the national average. That’s not a coincidence. States with stronger gun safety laws consistently experience lower rates of gun deaths, and California’s comprehensive approach, which includes universal background checks, safe storage requirements, and waiting periods, is setting the standard.

To help more Californians access these resources, the state launched the “Reduce the Risk” campaign, which provides a Local Resource Connector tool. You can literally enter your zip code and find court information and free resources to help file protection orders. The website includes over 700 localized resources available in 14 languages, ensuring that California’s diverse communities can actually use these tools when they need them.

Since its launch in 2025, the campaign has trained nearly 600 professionals across law enforcement, legal services, healthcare, education, and social services. This infrastructure matters because awareness and accessibility determine whether these laws actually protect people.

California’s approach to gun safety prioritizes keeping firearms away from people in crisis rather than imposing blanket bans on lawful ownership. Combined with $100 million in recent investments for violence interruption programs and community safety efforts, it’s working. If the rest of the country matched California’s gun death rate over the past decade, nearly 140,000 lives could have been saved. That’s the power of evidence-based policy and political will working together.