California’s new ban on licensed gun owners carrying in certain public places is off the books once again — at least for now. A new panel of judges from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a previous injunction which allowed the law to take effect Jan. 1.
On Dec. 6, the panel affirmed a December ruling by Federal District Court Judge Cormac Carney that blocked the bill. Carney deemed the law unconstitutional, saying it was “repugnant to the Second Amendment” and “openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed S.B. 2 into law in September, barring legal gun owners from carrying in 26 “sensitive places.” Some of those places include parks, zoos, churches and museums.
The law also puts new requirements in place for those seeking a concealed carry permit. Applicants would have to be at least 21 years old and have previous firearms training, character references and a complete background check.
After the decision, Newsom vowed to never stop pushing for stricter gun control measures.
“This dangerous decision puts the lives of Californians on the line,” Newsom’s office said in a statement. “We won’t stop working to defend our decades of progress on gun safety in our state.”
A court case challenging the law will continue, with the 9th Circuit Court set to hear arguments in April.
