Governor Gavin Newsom marked the 10th anniversary of California's Gun Violence Restraining Order law on March 19, 2026, releasing a package of data from the state's Office of Gun Violence Prevention showing significant growth in the law's use and the state's comparatively lower rate of mass shooting deaths. California enacted the GVRO law in 2014 following the Isla Vista shooting; it allows law enforcement, family members, and certain other petitioners to seek a civil court order temporarily removing firearms from individuals deemed a significant danger to themselves or others. The Governor's office confirmed the data; NPR-affiliated stations and the Record-Bee confirmed the anniversary.

The key figures released by Newsom's office: California courts issued 1,727 longer-term GVROs in 2024, the most in any single year since the law was enacted. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of longer-term GVROs issued each year more than doubled. On a per-capita basis, the number of people shot or killed in mass shooting incidents in California was 38 percent below the national average between 2023 and 2025. Newsom also cited a 2026 Everytown for Gun Safety ranking identifying California as the number one state in the nation for gun law strength and effectiveness. Gun safety advocacy groups called the anniversary a milestone and noted that 21 states now have some form of red flag law.

The NRA and Second Amendment Foundation have not responded specifically to the 10th anniversary data but have been engaged in active litigation challenging a related California gun restriction. Fox News reported in March 2026 that the NRA filed a new lawsuit against California over the state's ban on Glock-style handguns that can be readily converted to automatic fire with a device known as a "Glock switch." The California law signed by Newsom would prohibit the sale of such semi-automatic pistols starting July 1, 2026. The NRA argues the law violates the Second Amendment under the Supreme Court's Bruen standard, while California argues such convertible weapons fall outside constitutional protection.

The red flag law debate has been a recurring fault line in gun policy. After the 2018 Parkland shooting, the NRA suggested it could conditionally support red flag laws with strong due process protections — a position it later walked back. Opponents of GVROs, cited by gun rights advocacy groups, argue that confiscating firearms through a civil process before any criminal conviction violates due process rights, noting that an individual can lose their firearms based on a petition from a family member or law enforcement before having a chance to contest the order in court. Supporters, including the American Bar Association, argue that the temporary nature of GVROs — subject to a hearing within 21 days in California — satisfies constitutional due process standards.