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22 States Fight Ridiculous California Gun Restrictions on Magazine Ban
A coalition made up of 22 states, which are led by Arizona and Louisiana’s attorneys general, is asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to rule against California’s large magazine ban. The said court has expressed that it will reconsider its decision to rule the said ban as unconstitutional.
In a statement as they filed their amicus brief, Attorney General Mark Brnovich said that politicians in California believe that they could override the people’s Constitutional rights. Brnovich then added that any attempt to undermine these rights and liberties needs to be met with “vigorous opposition.”
In 2016, the state of California approved a ban on magazines that has 10 or more bullets. A federal judge, however, ruled it unconstitutional – a ruling upheld by a Ninth Circuit three-judge panel last year. In February, the said court agreed that an 11-judge panel will review the case.
22 States File Amicus Brief Against California's Large Magazine Ban
The coalition of 22 states filed an amicus brief to support gun rights. They argue that banning the magazine type violates the Second Amendment rights of Americans to bear arms. They also mentioned that it prohibits firearm possession, even for self-defense, because these specific types of magazines are needed in several popular firearms.
Included in this coalition of states are Alaska, Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio. Also included are the states of South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia. The oral arguments for the said case will start in June.
These states claim that the right to bear arms helps in protecting people in disadvantaged communities as well as in high-crime areas.
However, California argued that the ban is needed as guns with high-capacity magazines have been used in several mass shootings in the past. The state banned the manufacturing, sale, and transfer of high-capacity magazines back in 2000. However, in 2016, it tried to prohibit the ownership of such magazines altogether.
A lawsuit from the National Rifle Association and a gun owners’ coalition struck down this effort.
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