California ban on openly carrying guns is unconstitutional, court rules
CNN••nation
Key Points:
- A US appeals court ruled that California’s ban on openly carrying firearms in most counties with populations over 200,000 is unconstitutional, violating the Second Amendment.
- The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, cited the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which requires firearm restrictions to align with historical traditions.
- Judge Lawrence VanDyke emphasized that open carry predates the Bill of Rights and noted that over 30 states allow open carry, including California until 2012.
- The ruling partially overturned a lower court decision but upheld California’s licensing requirements for open carry in smaller counties; a dissenting judge argued all restrictions complied with
