A federal judge ruled that a California law mandating restrictions for new handguns is unconstitutional and can't be enforced, the Washington Examiner reported on Tuesday.
U.S. District Court Judge Cormac Carney wrote that the state's rules for new handguns, including certain mechanical safety features, have disallowed approval of new semiautomatic handguns for sale since 2013 and that Californians are forced to buy older and potentially more dangerous models.
The judge's ruling means that another law is subject to scrutiny after the Supreme Court ruled last year that firearm laws must be "consistent" with the historical tradition of regulation in the United States, the Washington Examiner reported.
Carney wrote in his decision this week that no handgun available in the world has all three of the safety features required by California's Unsafe Handgun Act and that "these regulations are having a devastating impact on Californians' ability to acquire and use new, state-of-the-art handguns."
State Attorney General Rob Bonta released a statement, saying that "the fact of the matter is, California's gun safety laws save lives," and the state's Unsafe Handgun Act "is no exception."
Bonta added: "We will continue to lead efforts to advance and defend California's gun safety laws. As we move forward to determine the next steps in this case, Californians should know that this injunction has not gone into effect and that California's important gun safety requirements related to the Unsafe Handgun Act remain in effect."
California Rifle & Pistol Association president Chuck Michel released a statement celebrating the judge's decision.
"If we can hold on to this great Second Amendment win, people will be able to choose from among thousands of the latest, greatest, and safest handguns made today," Michel said.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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