Attorney General Bonta wins victory in banning sale of firearms and ammunition on state property | State of California – Department of Justice

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the attorney general, holding that banning the sale of firearms and ammunition on state property does not violate the First or Second Amendment.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled in favor of the state’s defendants in the case B&L Productions, Inc. v. Newsom, two cases that challenged recent legislation banning the sale of firearms and ammunition on state property, including at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego and the Orange County Fair & Event Center. The plaintiffs, including a gun show promoter called B&L Productions (B&L), claimed the sales ban violated their First and Second Amendment rights.

“Guns should not be sold on state-owned property, it’s that simple” said Attorney General Bonta. “Sales of illegal firearms and ammunition, as well as sales of firearms and ammunition to prohibited persons, have occurred on state property and these laws will further help prevent this from happening. happen. This is another victory in the fight against gun violence in our state and country. I am grateful for all of the hard work my team has put into this case, and we will continue to fight for common-sense gun laws in our communities.

The three laws upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals were enacted between 2019 and 2022. Assembly Bill 893 (2019), Senate Bill 264 (2021), and Senate Bill 915 (2022) of the Senate prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Orange County Fair & Event Center, and all state properties, respectively. The plaintiffs, including B&L, challenged these three laws in two different district courts, and the Ninth Circuit consolidated the appeals before issuing its decision.

The California Department of Justice continues to crack down on gun violence resulting from gun shows, as seen in the examples below from recent Department of Justice investigations:

• In August 2023, special agents from the Department of Justice were conducting a law enforcement operation at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show, located at the Ontario Convention Centre. During the operation, officers identified a subject who was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms due to a felony conviction. Special agents observed him purchasing a short-barreled upper receiver, a lower receiver internal parts kit, and a collapsible stock, all of which could be used in making an AR-15-style rifle. Special Agents requested and conducted a consent search of the subject’s residence and vehicles to ensure he was not in possession of any firearms, ammunition, or ammunition magazines. They located two handguns, two rifles, including an assault weapon, a shotgun, 10 ammunition magazines and approximately 3,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibers.
• In April 2023, special agents from the Department of Justice were conducting a law enforcement operation at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show, located at the Ontario Convention Centre. During the operation, special agents identified a subject who was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms due to a felony conviction and observed the subject purchasing ammunition magazines . Special agents contacted the subject in the Convention Center parking lot and arrested him after determining he was in possession of ammunition. Special Agents obtained a search warrant for the subject’s residence. As a result of the search warrant, officers seized a short-barreled rifle (ghost gun), an assault weapon (ghost gun), a rifle, a shotgun, three handguns (two of which were pistols ghosts), six lower slides (ghost guns). ), five high-capacity magazines, six standard-capacity magazines, various weapon-making parts, and over 700 rounds of ammunition.
• In April 2023, DOJ special agents were conducting a law enforcement operation at the Sacramento Gun Show, located at the McClellan Capitol Sports Center in McClellan Park, California. During the operation, special agents identified several sellers who were selling illegal weapons and high-capacity magazines without having a high-capacity magazine permit. The first supplier identified offered approximately 1,800 high-capacity magazines for sale. Another seller offered 62 high-capacity magazines for sale. A third supplier offered 3,600 high-capacity magazines for sale. A fourth seller offered approximately 103 illegal weapons for sale, ranging from brass knuckles and cane swords to switchblades and butterfly knives. All illegal items were seized by special agents.
• In February 2024, DOJ Special Agents were assisting DOJ field representatives during a dealer inspection at the Big Chico Gun Show, located at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, in Chico, California. During the inspection process, it was discovered that an individual was attempting to sell an assault weapon and an unnumbered firearm precursor part. Both items were seized by special agents.

The ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals can be viewed here.