The Wire · CalGunHub

Bonta joins multistate letters opposing ATF deregulatory proposals

Published August 10, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

California co-led or joined 15 multistate letters on 34 concurrent ATF docket actions in August, then a 17-state letter on contract-weapon safeguards in September.

Written by the CalGunHub desk from public reporting

Who this affects: These are advocacy positions by the state attorney general in federal proceedings, not changes to California law, so they create no obligations for gun owners or dealers in the state. The letters may influence whether the federal proposals are finalized, modified, or withdrawn, which could in turn affect the federal regulatory landscape that interacts with California statutes. Anyone tracking a specific ATF rulemaking can read the filed comments through the department's releases or the federal docket. This is general information, not legal advice.

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced two multistate efforts in August and September 2026 opposing federal proposals that would loosen firearms regulations, according to Department of Justice press releases.

On Aug. 10, Bonta announced opposition to a batch of proposals from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to the release, California co-led or joined 15 multistate comment letters filed in response to 34 concurrent docket actions by the federal agency, which the participating attorneys general characterize as an effort to weaken federal firearm regulations.

On Sept. 8, Bonta and a coalition of 17 state attorneys general submitted a letter opposing a separate ATF proposal that would loosen safeguards for weapons manufactured for federal government contracts, according to a second release.

Neither announcement involves a California rulemaking. Both describe comment letters filed in federal administrative proceedings, which are part of the notice-and-comment process federal agencies must complete before finalizing regulations, according to the releases. The letters register the states' objections and legal arguments but do not by themselves block any federal action.

ATF opened the 34 rulemaking dockets at the same time, and the multistate letters were filed within the applicable federal comment windows, per the release. The Sept. 8 letter was joined by 17 attorneys general in total, counting California, according to that release. Both announcements were issued through the attorney general's press office and were not accompanied by any California regulatory filing. The two releases, posted on the department's website, describe the individual dockets and list the participating states for each letter. Searches surfaced no press coverage of either announcement beyond the department's own statements, so this account rests on those releases alone.

Informational only, not legal advice. Facts are attributed to the sources listed above.