Federal Judge Blocks California’s New Gun Law, Calling it Unconstitutional
A new California law that was set to take effect on January 1, 2023, has been blocked by a federal judge who called it unconstitutional. Senate Bill 2, which was part of a series of new gun control measures passed by California Democrats earlier this year, aimed to prevent licensed gun holders from carrying firearms in various public places.
U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney blocked major parts of the law on Wednesday, calling it “sweeping, repugnant to the Second Amendment, and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.” This decision comes in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that restricted gun control measures on a national level.
In his ruling, Judge Carney stated that the law would infringe upon the constitutional right to self-defense. Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed strong disagreement with the judge’s decision, saying they will appeal to a higher court.
The blocked law would have prohibited licensed gun carriers from bringing their firearms into various public spaces, including public transportation, parks and playgrounds, stadiums, medical facilities, religious institutions, and areas where liquor is sold and consumed.
The law was proposed as a response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. vs. Bruen, which struck down sweeping restrictions on licensed gun holders, stating that it violated their constitutional right to self-defense.
While the legal battle over California’s gun laws continues, the future of SB 2 remains uncertain. The case is just one of many challenges to gun laws across the United States in the wake of the Bruen decision, with California’s ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines also at risk.