A federal judge has blocked a California law that would prevent licensed gun holders from carrying firearms into numerous public areas, stating that it is unconstitutional. Passed by Democrats as part of a larger array of gun control measures, Senate Bill 2 was a response to a 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision that had limited gun control measures nationwide and to several high-profile mass shootings that happened within the state this year such as in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay.
The California law was set to take effect on January 1st, but U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney’s decision to put an immediate hold on it was based on the reasons mentioned above. He commented that the California law’s “coverage is sweeping, repugnant to the Second Amendment, and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”
Governor Gavin Newsom, who had signed the bill into law, pressed for tougher gun restrictions in California and at the national level. In defense of the bill, he released a statement soon after the decision was made.
The current federal injunction blocks several of Senate Bill 2’s provisions, including requirements for licensed gun owners to keep their firearms unloaded in certain circumstances, such as in public or in the car. Moreover, it also blocked the provisions that would restrict carrying firearms into public libraries, government buildings, unsecured areas of airports, schools, and universities.
Graves, a spokesman for the California State Rifle and Pistol Association, praised the decision, stating that “The ruling is the correct conclusion based on the law and it is a significant victory for all California gun owners. The Court affirmed that the Second Amendment is not a second-class right and rightly struck down a series of laws that would have criminalized otherwise law-abiding citizens.”
This decision marks another victory for gun rights groups in a state that has long been seen as a bellwether in the national gun debate. Senate Bill 2 is the latest iteration of laws being enacted by California lawmakers concerning gun control. The state’s moves will likely be watched closely by other states grappling with the contentious issue of gun control.
The legal battle comes as California authorities wrestle with spiking gun sales and confront a growing debate over how to balance Second Amendment rights with public safety. This issue is unlikely to go away anytime soon, and advocates on both sides will continue to argue their positions, making California one to watch in the ongoing national gun control debate.
