Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley commented on the June 25th Board of Supervisors meeting, where the Board approved progress on the secure gun storage ordinance and the final adoption of Supervisor Foley’s e-bike ordinance.

Secure Gun Storage Ordinance Proposal: Directed staff to draft a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance. Spearheaded by Supervisor Foley following the gun storage ordinance approved by the City of San Clemente, the ordinance seeks to promote public safety and health by preventing firearm access by unauthorized persons, such as criminals and children, and to prevent suicide by requiring the safe storage of firearms in residences and businesses within unincorporated Orange County.

“In the United States – 1 gun is stolen every 90 seconds,” said Supervisor Foley. “This ordinance will provide gun owners much-needed clarity on safe gun storage requirements to prevent gun thefts and accidental gun deaths. With the rise of home burglaries and retail theft by international crime rings in many of our communities, we must prevent easy access to guns by thieves. Orange County residents agree that we can protect the Second Amendment while simultaneously supporting responsible gun ownership and storage.”

Jurisdictions in California with a Secure Gun Storage Ordinance

California counties with secure gun storage ordinances: San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Yolo.

California cities with secure gun storage ordinances: Alameda, Antioch, Belmont, Belvedere, Berkeley, Burlingame, Calabasas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Colma, Cudahy, Culver, Daly, Davis, Del Mar, Dublin, East Palo Alto, Encinitas, Faster, Goleta, Hermosa Beach, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Livermore, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Millbrae, Monte Sereno, Moraga, Morgan Hill, Morro Bay, Mountain View, Napa, Oakland, Orinda, Palm Springs, Palo Alto, Pleasanton, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlo, San Clemente, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, San Marino, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Ramon, Saratoga, Solana Beach, South Pasadena, South San Francisco, St. Helena, Sunnyvale, Tiburon, Walnut Creek, West Hollywood, Woodland, and Yountville.

Electric Bike Safety Ordinance: Approved the final reading of Supervisor Foley’s Proposed Electric Bicycle Safety Ordinance.

“While only 8% of the California population, Orange County residents account for 41% of all e-bike accidents in the state. Unsafe e-bike usage remains a growing concern. After our office held numerous community meetings on this issue, our Deputy Sheriffs requested clarity on their ability to enforce traffic violations in unincorporated Orange County. At my request, the Board of Supervisors delivered this clarity just in time to increase safety during the Fourth of July weekend,” said Supervisor Foley. “This e-bike ordinance includes common-sense provisions requested by the community, such as grouping restrictions, sidewalk speed limits, helmets for minors, requirements for yielding to pedestrians and equestrians and for an audible alarm when overtaking, consequences for driving without a license when required, and more.

Supervisor Foley concluded, “We hope that this ordinance will help keep e-bike riders and community members safe as they go out and celebrate our great nation.”

On December 19, 2023, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted Supervisor Foley’s proposal to direct county staff to draft an ordinance creating new safety regulations for electric bicycles in the County of Orange unincorporated areas. The final ordinance was brought forward after careful review by Supervisor Foley’s office and the OC Traffic Committee, consisting of representatives from OC Public Works, CHP, OCSD, and Fifth District appointee Todd Sterns of the Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce.

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Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.

Supervisor Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Chair – OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition, Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust, and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.