US judge overturns California’s ban on assault weapons
3 years, 6 months ago

US judge overturns California’s ban on assault weapons

Al Jazeera  

A federal judge has overturned California’s three-decades-old ban on assault weapons, ruling that it violates the constitutional right to bear arms in a blow to the state’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who condemned the order. US District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego ruled that the state’s definition of illegal military-style rifles unlawfully deprives law-abiding Californians of weapons commonly allowed in most other states and by the US Supreme Court. That comparison “completely undermines the credibility of this decision and is a slap in the face to the families who’ve lost loved ones to this weapon,” Newsom said in a statement. https://t.co/YHaruaxtEX — Office of the Governor of California June 5, 2021 The decision comes as gun violence surges across the United States – and just over a week after a disgruntled, heavily armed California public transit worker shot and killed nine people.

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History of this topic

California governor signs bills to bolster gun control
2 months, 4 weeks ago

California governor signs bills to bolster gun control

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several gun control measures Tuesday, including one that allows the court to consider stalking and animal cruelty as grounds to restrict access to firearms. The new laws signed by Newsom will expand restrictions on who could own firearms, prevent the proliferation of “ghost guns” and increase protections for domestic violence survivors. “In …

9th Circuit upholds California gun bans in some ‘sensitive’ places, but not others
3 months, 2 weeks ago

9th Circuit upholds California gun bans in some ‘sensitive’ places, but not others

LA Times  

A semiautomatic pistol is among several weapons displayed three years ago after being seized by the Oakland Police Department. California may enforce its recent ban on guns in “sensitive places” when it comes to parks and playgrounds, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, casinos, stadiums, amusement parks, zoos, libraries, museums, athletic facilities and the parking areas associated with them, a …

Supreme Court turns down a 2nd Amendment challenge to state bans on assault weapons
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Supreme Court turns down a 2nd Amendment challenge to state bans on assault weapons

LA Times  

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento. The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a 2nd Amendment challenge to state laws in Illinois that prohibited the sale of rapid-fire assault weapons. “For now at least, the 2nd Amendment is a second-class right, and it will remain so until the Supreme …

Will latest Supreme Court decision affect California bans on assault weapons, magazines?
6 months ago

Will latest Supreme Court decision affect California bans on assault weapons, magazines?

LA Times  

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento in 2012. A long-awaited U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a federal law barring domestic abusers from possessing firearms will have a narrower impact than some had hoped, but it will nonetheless play an important role in reshaping gun laws in California and across …

9th Circuit says California ban on gun sales on state property is constitutional
6 months, 1 week ago

9th Circuit says California ban on gun sales on state property is constitutional

LA Times  

California laws barring the sale of firearms and ammunition at fairgrounds and other state property are constitutional, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. Clifton wrote that the laws don’t violate the 1st Amendment because they “solely restrict nonexpressive conduct — contracting for the sale of firearms” and don’t violate the 2nd Amendment because they do not “meaningfully …

Federal judge reverses himself, rules that California’s ban on billy clubs is unconstitutional
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Federal judge reverses himself, rules that California’s ban on billy clubs is unconstitutional

Associated Press  

SAN DIEGO — A federal judge struck down a California law banning possession of club-like weapons, reversing his previous ruling from three years ago that upheld the prohibition on billy clubs, batons and similar blunt objects. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez ruled last week that the prohibition “unconstitutionally infringes the Second Amendment rights of American citizens” and enjoined the state …

Judge blocks California law targeting suppliers of ‘abnormally dangerous’ firearms
10 months ago

Judge blocks California law targeting suppliers of ‘abnormally dangerous’ firearms

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom, seen in January, signed the law targeting gun manufacturers that a federal judge blocked this week. A federal judge has blocked enforcement of a California law allowing government officials and individuals to sue manufacturers and sellers of “abnormally dangerous” firearms. “This means bad actors can still be held accountable for harms their products cause.” Larry Keane, the National …

Judge rules California background check, anti-importation rules for ammo unconstitutional
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Judge rules California background check, anti-importation rules for ammo unconstitutional

LA Times  

A California law requiring people to submit to a background check every time they want to purchase ammunition is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled in a decision made public Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez found state laws prohibiting California buyers from purchasing and importing ammunition from out-of-state sellers likewise violate federal law. Benitez — who in recent years …

Column: California says its new gun law is about public safety. But what about these women?
11 months ago

Column: California says its new gun law is about public safety. But what about these women?

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom speaks about the prevalence of gun violence in society before signing Senate Bill 1327 in July 2022. The law, known as Senate Bill 2, was drafted as a workaround to a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 2022 that threw out a chunk of the state’s — and the nation’s — gun control regulations as unconstitutional, theoretically making it …

Judges put new California law barring guns in many public places on hold again
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Judges put new California law barring guns in many public places on hold again

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom spoke last February in support of legislation barring gun permit holders from bringing their firearms into many public places. A new California law barring licensed gun holders from carrying their firearms in many public places has once again been blocked — meaning it cannot be enforced — as legal challenges proceed in federal court. The law bars concealed-carry …

A California law banning the carrying of firearms in most public places is blocked again
11 months, 2 weeks ago

A California law banning the carrying of firearms in most public places is blocked again

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A new California law that bans people from carrying firearms in most public places was once again blocked from taking effect Saturday as a court case challenging it continues. A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel dissolved a temporary hold on a lower court injunction blocking the law. Saturday’s decision keeps in place a Dec. 20 ruling …

Judges let new California ban on guns in many public places take effect amid legal fight
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Judges let new California ban on guns in many public places take effect amid legal fight

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom speaks in 2023 during a press conference in support of Senate Bill 2, which bars concealed carry permit holders from carrying firearms in many public places in the state. A new California law barring licensed gun holders from carrying their firearms into an array of public places took effect Monday despite an ongoing legal challenge to its legitimacy. …

California law banning most firearms in public is taking effect as the legal fight over it continues
11 months, 3 weeks ago

California law banning most firearms in public is taking effect as the legal fight over it continues

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A California law that bans people from carrying firearms in most public places will take effect on New Year’s Day, even as a court case continues to challenge the law. “This ruling will allow our common-sense gun laws to remain in place while we appeal the district court’s dangerous ruling,” Newsom posted to X, formerly Twitter, after …

Battle over California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines shows a nation divided
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Battle over California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines shows a nation divided

LA Times  

Dozens of states are taking sides in the court fight over California’s effort to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines. Late last month, a coalition of 19 U.S. states and the District of Columbia came together to support California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines. That is what happened with the two state coalitions in the case on California’s high-capacity magazine ban — …

Things to know about a federal judge’s ruling temporarily blocking California’s gun law
1 year ago

Things to know about a federal judge’s ruling temporarily blocking California’s gun law

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democrats running California’s government have passed some of the strictest gun laws in the country, but those efforts to restrict firearm access are increasingly facing successful challenges in court. They’ve gotten a recent boost from the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which set a new standard for …

Federal judge blocks California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places
1 year ago

Federal judge blocks California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a California law that would have banned carrying firearms in most public places, ruling that it violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and deprives people of their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones. That decision said the constitutionality of gun laws must be assessed by whether they …

9th Circuit stays ruling against California assault weapons ban, pending appeal
1 year, 1 month ago

9th Circuit stays ruling against California assault weapons ban, pending appeal

LA Times  

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento in 2012. A federal appellate court this weekend paused a lower court decision overturning California’s ban on assault weapons, granting a stay in the matter — and leaving the law intact — while it hears an appeal. The 2-1 decision by a three-judge …

Federal judge again rules California assault weapons ban unconstitutional; state to appeal
1 year, 2 months ago

Federal judge again rules California assault weapons ban unconstitutional; state to appeal

LA Times  

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento. “Like the Bowie Knife which was commonly carried by citizens and soldiers in the 1800s,” Benitez’s latest decision begins, “‘assault weapons’ are dangerous, but useful.” Benitez’s decision would overturn several state statutes related to such weapons, but it does not take effect immediately. …

9th Circuit stays ruling against California ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines
1 year, 2 months ago

9th Circuit stays ruling against California ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines

LA Times  

The American debate over the legality of modern gun laws was again on display this week in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a panel of 11 judges hit pause on a decision overturning California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines. The court’s liberal majority found that the state of California had made “strong arguments” for why the ban …

California governor signs law raising taxes on guns and ammunition to pay for school safety
1 year, 2 months ago

California governor signs law raising taxes on guns and ammunition to pay for school safety

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will ban people from carrying firearms in most public places while doubling the taxes on guns and ammunition sold in the state under two new laws Gov. The law Newsom signed adds another 11% tax on top of that — making California the only state with a separate tax on guns and ammunition, according to the …

Newsom signs gun laws that add new taxes and limit where owners can carry firearms
1 year, 2 months ago

Newsom signs gun laws that add new taxes and limit where owners can carry firearms

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom shakes hands Tuesday with Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel after signing Gabriel’s bill that raises taxes on guns and ammunition. Gavin Newsom signed several gun control measures Tuesday, including a bill that tightens the state’s concealed-carry rules and another that imposes a new tax on firearm and ammunition sales. “I think we need to be screaming louder about this.” “I’m …

Federal judge again strikes down California law banning gun magazines of more than 10 rounds
1 year, 3 months ago

Federal judge again strikes down California law banning gun magazines of more than 10 rounds

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California cannot ban gun owners from having detachable magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, a federal judge ruled Friday. Benitez ruled that “there is no American tradition of limiting ammunition capacity.” He said detachable magazines “solved a problem with historic firearms: running out of ammunition and having to slowly reload a gun.” “There have been, and …

Federal judge again overturns California ban on high-capacity gun magazines
1 year, 3 months ago

Federal judge again overturns California ban on high-capacity gun magazines

LA Times  

Prayer candles show U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez as “St. “This case is about a California state law that makes it a crime to keep and bear common firearm magazines typically possessed for lawful purposes,” wrote U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego in a 71-page decision published Friday. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez on Friday overturned California’s ban …

California lawmakers pass Newsom’s call for U.S. constitutional convention on gun control
1 year, 3 months ago

California lawmakers pass Newsom’s call for U.S. constitutional convention on gun control

LA Times  

A customer examines a Valor Industries LLC California-compliant AR-15 style rifle displayed for sale at a vendor booth at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Gavin Newsom’s resolution calling for a constitutional convention of the states to consider a new amendment on gun control, a politically astute yet seemingly unattainable proposal from the Democratic …

9th Circuit ruling threatens California ban on unlicensed open carry of handguns
1 year, 3 months ago

9th Circuit ruling threatens California ban on unlicensed open carry of handguns

LA Times  

California laws banning people from openly carrying handguns in public without a license are under greater legal threat after a federal appellate court decision Thursday. “The court seems to think that California can’t meet this burden,” said Jake Charles, an associate professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law and an expert in firearms law. Rob Bonta’s office, which is defending …

Gun control laws in California and beyond in peril as Supreme Court expands 2nd Amendment
1 year, 5 months ago

Gun control laws in California and beyond in peril as Supreme Court expands 2nd Amendment

LA Times  

It wasn’t until 2008 that the Supreme Court for the first time struck down a gun control law, ruling the 2nd Amendment protected the “right of law-abiding, responsible citizens” to keep a handgun at home for self-defense. VIDEO | 04:47 Gun control laws in California may be challenged as Supreme Court expands the 2nd Amendment An opinion by Supreme Court …

Thanks to the Supreme Court, California gun cases hinge more on history than modern threats
1 year, 9 months ago

Thanks to the Supreme Court, California gun cases hinge more on history than modern threats

LA Times  

Police crime photos of assault rifles and handguns are displayed during a news conference near the site of a mass shooting in San Bernardino in 2015. “Instead of having a reasonable debate over whether a ban on assault weapons is good policy or not, we have to debate whether a ban on assault weapons has historical antecedents.” UC Berkeley Law …

California Democrats try again to rewrite concealed-carry gun law
1 year, 10 months ago

California Democrats try again to rewrite concealed-carry gun law

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom speaks about the prevalence of gun violence before signing Senate Bill 1327, gun legislation modeled after Texas abortion ban, into law at Santa Monica College in July. Gavin Newsom and a coalition of top Democrats quickly got behind a bill last year that they said would comply with the Supreme Court decision barring states from making people show …

California already has nation’s strictest gun laws. Mass shootings could spur push to go further
1 year, 10 months ago

California already has nation’s strictest gun laws. Mass shootings could spur push to go further

LA Times  

Law enforcement officials on Sunday secure and investigate the scene where a gunman opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park. After a deadly wave of mass shootings in the United States last year — including one in Buffalo, N.Y., and another at a school in Uvalde, Texas — that collectively killed 31, California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature responded by …

California mass shooting: Gun laws in the state are stricter than in the rest of US, but are they enough?
1 year, 11 months ago

California mass shooting: Gun laws in the state are stricter than in the rest of US, but are they enough?

Firstpost  

America once again saw a mass shooting on Sunday during Lunar New Year celebrations in California’s Monterey Park, a majority Asian-American city on the eastern edge of Los Angeles. While there is still much we don’t know about the motive in this senseless attack, we do know that many families are grieving tonight, or praying that their loved one will …

California gun bill fails on tactical error in Legislature
2 years, 3 months ago

California gun bill fails on tactical error in Legislature

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gun-control advocates could have had another victory in their very successful California legislative session that ended Thursday if not for a risky move supported by Gov. Bonta, who was appointed attorney general by Newsom, was personally working the concealed weapons bill in the Capitol until the end, while Newsom was involved “significantly” in pushing for its passage, …

California governor signs gun control law that mimics controversial Texas anti-abortion ‘bounty’ law
2 years, 5 months ago

California governor signs gun control law that mimics controversial Texas anti-abortion ‘bounty’ law

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The governor of California …

New California gun control law mimics Texas abortion measure
2 years, 5 months ago

New California gun control law mimics Texas abortion measure

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California punched back Friday against two recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions as Gov. The Supreme Court’s support for the Texas law was “a terrible decision,” Newsom said. However, “if they’re going to use this framework to put women’s lives at risk, we’re going to use it to save people’s lives here in the state of California.” …

War on California gun laws revs up after Supreme Court’s ‘right to carry’ decision
2 years, 5 months ago

War on California gun laws revs up after Supreme Court’s ‘right to carry’ decision

LA Times  

A sales associate takes a close look at handguns for sale at Burbank Ammo & Guns in Burbank on June 23, 2022. In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. vs. Bruen, the Supreme Court not only ruled that broad limits against people carrying firearms in states like New York and California were unconstitutional, but that other restrictions on …

California opens the door to suing gun makers. Here’s what the new law does
2 years, 5 months ago

California opens the door to suing gun makers. Here’s what the new law does

LA Times  

Three weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tough state controls on concealed weapon licenses, California Gov. How the law would be enforced AB 1594 is designed to be enforced through lawsuits — not just by the state attorney general but also by attorneys for city and county governments and by anyone “who has suffered harm as a result …

California enacts sweeping gun control laws, setting up a legal showdown
2 years, 5 months ago

California enacts sweeping gun control laws, setting up a legal showdown

LA Times  

Less than a month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against restrictions on carrying firearms in public in a substantial victory for 2nd Amendment advocates, California Gov. I think it’s important to adopt the laws and then see where the court is going to draw the line.” Eugene Volokh, a UCLA School of Law professor, said the Supreme Court’s decision …

California advances Texas-style lawsuits over illegal guns
2 years, 5 months ago

California advances Texas-style lawsuits over illegal guns

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California legislators on Monday approved Texas-style lawsuits over illegal guns, mimicking the Lone Star State’s law aimed at deterring abortions and obliquely linking the two most controversial U.S. Supreme Court decisions from last week. “What Texas did on abortion was dangerous, and we already know how disgusting the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court has …

California leaders pledge new law to address gun ruling
2 years, 6 months ago

California leaders pledge new law to address gun ruling

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California legislators will consider a new law within days to keep dangerous people from carrying concealed weapons in public, Gov. Newsom in a tweet called the ruling a “dangerous decision from a court hell bent on pushing a radical ideological agenda and infringing on the rights of states to protect our citizens from being gunned down in …

California leaders vow new gun restrictions after Supreme Court ruling threatens state law
2 years, 6 months ago

California leaders vow new gun restrictions after Supreme Court ruling threatens state law

LA Times  

Gun reform supporters listen to speakers during the March for our Lives protest against gun violence in Los Angeles on June 11. Rob Bonta on Thursday pledged to work with the governor and lawmakers to pass new gun-control legislation “to keep Californians safe” in response to a Supreme Court ruling that weakens requirements to obtain a license to carry a …

Editorial: California gun laws under threat by right-wing Supreme Court
2 years, 6 months ago

Editorial: California gun laws under threat by right-wing Supreme Court

LA Times  

Hundreds of people participate in a rally during the March for Our Lives against gun violence event in downtown Los Angeles on June 11. California’s long history of promoting public safety by embracing reasonable restrictions on guns is under threat by a Supreme Court thatput its ideology above common-sense efforts to reduce the risk of violence and death. Legislation being …

Column: California’s tough gun laws have made the state safer than the rest of the country
2 years, 6 months ago

Column: California’s tough gun laws have made the state safer than the rest of the country

LA Times  

Retiree Yrma Fuentes holds the front page of the local newspaper showing photos of the 19 children and two teachers killed in the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. “But California children are half as likely to be shot.” Let’s examine the key elements of California’s laws, and how they might have interfered with the latest major gun-related outrages …

California moves toward allowing lawsuits over illegal guns
2 years, 6 months ago

California moves toward allowing lawsuits over illegal guns

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hours after a deadly elementary school shooting in Texas, California senators on Tuesday approved giving people the power to sue those who traffic in illegal firearms, mimicking a Texas law that is intended to deter abortions. The California version would allow people to file civil lawsuits against anyone who distributes illegal assault weapons, parts that can be …

Newsom castigates GOP over gun policy after Texas school shooting: ‘Inaction is a choice’
2 years, 7 months ago

Newsom castigates GOP over gun policy after Texas school shooting: ‘Inaction is a choice’

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom, seen here at an event on Feb. 18 in support of a gun control proposal in California, lashed out at Republicans following the fatal shooting at a Texas elementary school. Gavin Newsom called out Republicans on Tuesday for inaction on the issue of gun control, saying the party “won’t do a damn thing” in a series of tweets …

Court: California’s under-21 gun sales ban unconstitutional
2 years, 7 months ago

Court: California’s under-21 gun sales ban unconstitutional

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A U.S. appeals court ruled Wednesday that California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. Circuit Court of Appeals said Wednesday the law violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms and a San Diego judge should have blocked what it called “an almost total ban on semiautomatic centerfire rifles” for …

U.S. appeals court overturns California ban on semiautomatic rifle sales to those under 21
2 years, 7 months ago

U.S. appeals court overturns California ban on semiautomatic rifle sales to those under 21

LA Times  

People wait to enter a gun store in Culver City in 2020. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the 2nd Amendment “protects the right of young adults to keep and bear arms, which includes the right to purchase them.” The ruling reverses a lower court’s decision not to issue an …

California's under-21 gun sales ban is unconstitutional, court says
2 years, 7 months ago

California's under-21 gun sales ban is unconstitutional, court says

NPR  

California's under-21 gun sales ban is unconstitutional, court says Enlarge this image toggle caption Ringo H.W. Circuit Court of Appeals said Wednesday the law violates the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and a San Diego judge should have blocked what it called "an almost total ban on semiautomatic centerfire rifles" for young adults. Handgun sales to those under 21 …

California may empower citizens to sue over illegal firearms
2 years, 8 months ago

California may empower citizens to sue over illegal firearms

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stung by a deadly mass shooting Sunday mere blocks from the state Capitol, California lawmakers on Tuesday advanced an innovative new approach to gun control that would empower private citizens to sue those who traffic in illegal weapons. “California leads the nation in enacting robust gun laws…and we’re still seeing this unprecedented level of gun violence,” Democratic …

California bill would have citizens enforce weapons ban
2 years, 10 months ago

California bill would have citizens enforce weapons ban

Associated Press  

DEL MAR, Calif. — California Gov. He later added: “We’ll see how principled the U.S. Supreme Court is.” The unique Texas law, approved last year, bans all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around the sixth week of pregnancy. California’s proposed legislation is exactly what gun rights groups feared would happen if the Supreme Court allowed the Texas …

California bill would make it easier to sue gun-makers
2 years, 11 months ago

California bill would make it easier to sue gun-makers

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Some Democratic California lawmakers want to make it easier for people to sue gun companies for liability in shootings that cause injuries or deaths, a move advocates said Tuesday is aimed at getting around a U.S. law that prevents such lawsuits and allows the industry to act recklessly. California Assembly member Phil Ting of San Francisco unveiled …

In response to Texas abortion ban, Newsom calls for similar restrictions on assault weapons
3 years ago

In response to Texas abortion ban, Newsom calls for similar restrictions on assault weapons

LA Times  

After the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block a Texas state law that bans most abortions there, Gov. “If states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that authority to protect people’s lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm’s way,” Newsom …

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