Brady Applauds San Francisco’s Reform to Strengthen Responsible Firearms Procurement Rules, Holding Irresponsible Gun Dealers Accountable

Updated ordinance tightens contractor standards for firearm and ammunition suppliers, building on the city's landmark 2024 law. Several states and cities have followed suit and adopted policies to ensure taxpayer dollars are not spent on irresponsible firearm manufacturers. 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to approve an ordinance introduced by District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill that tightens the standards firearm and ammunition suppliers must meet to receive City contracts. Brady: United Against Gun Violence, the nation's oldest gun violence prevention organization, applauded the vote.

Today, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to strip away regulatory loopholes that minimized the City’s ability to block unethical firearm and ammunition suppliers from receiving public contracts.

Supervisor Sherrill’s ordinance updates Chapter 21H of the City's Administrative Code, San Francisco's responsible firearms procurement law, first enacted in May 2024. It changes two minimum qualifications for suppliers:

• Federal inspection record. The 2024 law barred suppliers with "unresolved" ATF violations, a standard that was hard to measure. The City will now bar suppliers with an ATF warning letter or more severe outcome in the past five years and no appropriate corrective action.
• State enforcement record. Dealers must have faced no California Department of Justice fines under Penal Code Section 26800 in the past five years. The state publishes dealer-level inspection results, so the public can check the same records the City uses.

By creating clearer standards for compliance, this ordinance makes it easier for the City and County of San Francisco to purchase from responsible firearm manufacturers that uphold the law rather than cast it aside.

The vote comes two years after San Francisco responded to a national problem exposed by a Brady investigation: law enforcement agencies across the country have spent millions of taxpayer dollars buying firearms from dealers and manufacturers with repeated violations of federal firearm regulations. 

The 2024 legislation was authored by then-Supervisor, now Assemblymember Catherine Stefani. Because government agencies are among the largest buyers of firearms in the country, responsible procurement policies like San Francisco's give firearm manufacturers a financial reason to obey public safety laws and ensure guns are sold only to people who can legally buy them.

“San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors helped set the standard for cities and counties across the nation when they passed novel responsible firearms procurement legislation in 2024. Every taxpayer dollar spent on firearms should reinforce and incentivize public safety, not reward gun dealers with a track record of violating the law,” said Brady President Kris Brown. “For too long, irresponsible sellers have profited twice: first by selling firearms that end up fueling crime and violence, and then by winning government contracts paid for by the very communities harmed by that violence. Supervisor Sherrill’s ordinance rejects that status quo and sends a clear message that public dollars come with public responsibility. These are some of the most effective standards to hold the gun industry accountable. We look forward to supporting additional local governments to integrate these policies.”

“Across America, 5% of gun dealers sell 90% of the guns that are recovered at crime scenes. Brady’s research showed that at least 90 California law enforcement agencies had contracted with gun dealers that were cited for violating federal gun laws,” said Kath Tsakalakis, national Board Member of Brady United Against Gun Violence. “Our taxpayer money must only be spent with responsible gun dealers.”

“When the City purchases firearms for law enforcement officers, we must vet gun dealers to make sure they’re not negligent selling guns to criminals, human traffickers, kids, or anyone who wouldn’t pass a background check,” said District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill. “Today’s ordinance brings us one step closer towards this goal.”

San Francisco was one of the first cities to implement responsible firearm procurement standards. The updated ordinance reflects a growing effort by a number of cities and states, such as Colorado, New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego and most recently, Chicago, that have implemented Brady-backed responsible firearms procurement standards, part of the organization’s longstanding effort to save lives and hold the gun industry accountable at every level.

“I want to thank my contracts team and advocates, especially the Brady Group, for working so hard on these common sense reforms,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “This effort required an honest and open conversation around the intent of the law and the practical effects of its administration. When we put our heads together, we demonstrate that we can both strengthen the law and make our government easier to run.” 

“When I authored San Francisco’s first responsible firearms procurement law in 2024, the goal was clear: Taxpayer dollars should support public safety and hold the gun industry accountable,” said Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, former San Francisco Supervisor. “These updated standards build on that work and send a strong message that companies seeking public contracts must follow the law and do their part to keep our communities safe.”

After today’s vote, Supervisor Stephen Sherrill’s legislation will be sent to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s desk for his signature. Once signed, the legislation will become part of San Francisco’s Administrative Code by December 31 of 2026.

RESOURCES:

• A link to the Board File #260838 outlining the ordinance and its accompanying background information can be found here.