Concealed Carry in Riverside County California just got easier

This new rule (at least to the extent that the Sheriff obeys it) would move the county in a decidedly right-to-carry direction.

An effort by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to make it easier for residents to carry concealed firearms isn't likely to change policy, the Sheriff's Department said.

In a 3-1 vote in November, supervisors passed a resolution asking the sheriff to consider applications for permits based solely on "personal defense."

Supervisor Jeff Stone, author of the resolution, pegged the issue to the potential release of thousands of California inmates as part of a plan to meet a federal mandate to reduce the state's prison population. . . .

Supervisor Bob Buster was the lone vote against the resolution. He said he believed that existing regulations were adequate.

Applicants must show they need a concealed carry permit. That could mean they have a job that requires travel to dangerous areas, or an order of protection against a stalker or assailant.

Stone's resolution would allow Riverside residents to get a permit for "personal protection." . . .