Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a new law enforcement bulletin affirming that “forced reset triggers” (FRTs) remain illegal under California law. At a minimum, FRTs are “multiburst trigger activators” under California Penal Code section 16930, and California Penal Code section 32900 prohibits the possession, sale, offering for sale, manufacture, importation, giving, or lending of such devices. On May 13, 2025, the United States Department of Justice executed a settlement agreement with several plaintiffs to address ongoing federal litigation that contested the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) classification of FRTs as machine guns under the National Firearms Act of 1934. This settlement provides that the U.S. DOJ will stop regulating FRTs as machine guns under federal law and allow individual owners to request the return of FRTs that were seized by or voluntarily surrendered to the ATF, consistent with instructions to be provided by ATF. However, the U.S. DOJ’s settlement does not alter the fact that FRTs remain illegal under California law. “No matter who oversees the federal government, California will remain the steadfast beacon of progress on gun safety that it has long been. It is a devastating fact that in our nation, children and teens are more likely to die by gun violence than any illness or accident. California’s commonsense gun-safety laws save lives, and the prohibition of forced reset triggers is no exception.” – AG Bonta