The federal court ruled that California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 was unconstitutional, according to reports.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that that law violated young adults’ 2nd Amendment rights.
“America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army,” Judge Ryan Nelson, a Trump appointee, wrote in his decision. “Today we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice: the right of young adults to keep and bear arms.”
The law, enacted in the aftermath of the 2018 Parkland massacre and the 2019 synagogue shooting in San Diego County, prohibited the sale of semiautomatic centerfire rifles to anyone under 21. The policy included few exemptions, including those for police and military personnel.
The dissent was penned by Judge Sidney Stein, a Clinton nominee. Stein argued that the regulation did not place a “severe burden” on gun ownership for young adults.
Senator Anthony Portantino (D-CA), who wrote the law, commented that he remains “committed to keeping deadly weapons out of the wrong hands.”
“Student safety on our campuses is something we should all rally behind and sensible gun control is part of that solution,” he said.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) also sought to strike down the law requiring a hunting license for adults under 21 to purchase shotguns and rifles.
The court, however, upheld the license requirement, stating that it was “sensible firearm control.” It is unclear whether the FPC will seek to challenge the decision.
The office of Attorney General Rob Bonta did not immediately return a request for a comment on the ruling and the possibility of appeal.
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