Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals recently permitted a ruling that prohibits California from enforcing its new gun law, which restricts carrying firearms in most public places, asserting it infringes on constitutional rights.

This decision effectively upholds an earlier injunction by a district judge, who deemed the Democratic-led state’s legislation a violation of the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms. Despite a previous attempt to temporarily sustain the law, a revised panel of judges has now dissolved that order.

C.D. Michel, representing gun rights advocates, welcomed the court’s latest action, stating, “So the politicians’ ploy to get around the Second Amendment has been stopped for now.” Meanwhile, California’s attorney general had argued that blocking the law would elevate the risk of gun violence for millions, a sentiment echoed by Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesperson, Daniel Villaseñor, who described the court’s decision as dangerous and life-threatening. The state now awaits an appeal hearing in April, with high stakes for its residents’ safety and constitutional rights.

The controversial law, Senate Bill 2, emerged in response to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that broadened gun rights and clarified the Second Amendment’s scope. It sought to prohibit concealed firearms in various “sensitive places” and private commercial spaces unless explicitly permitted. However, US District Judge Cormac Carney sided with gun owners and rights groups, ruling that the law conflicted with historical firearm regulations and the constitutional right to self-defense.