California Magazine Ban: GOC Urges Supreme Court to Hear Challenge

On Friday, April 1, 2022, Gun Owners of California, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) filed an amicus curiae brief which urges the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case involving California’s magazine ban.

“We must hold the politicians’ feet to the fire for these bad policies. Both Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta have deliberately and consistently violated the Second Amendment, and we can’t let their example seep across the country,” said GOC Executive Director Sam Paredes.

The brief argues:

“There is a certain irony that many of the courts which now embrace the notion that Second Amendment ‘arms’ do not include those of a military nature are often the same courts which before Heller had taken the position that the Second Amendment only protected arms in the hands of those serving in state guard units – which presumably would possess and carry ‘military-style’ weapons….”

“The Second Amendment protects first and foremost the right to self-defense — not just against petty criminals, but against governments, both foreign and domestic.”

In 2021, the 9th Circuit upheld California’s ban on high-capacity magazines, despite the policy’s clear Constitutional violations. This is the third amicus curiae brief filed by GOF in this case which was brought by the California Rifle and Pistol Association.

Aside from the clear Constitutional arguments, there is evidence that banning high capacity magazines does nothing to prevent criminals from committing crimes. According to a Rand Study published in 2018, there is inconclusive evidence about the effect of high-capacity magazine bans on firearm homicides.

The full text of the brief can be found HERE.

“GOC has been dubbed the “Amicus Brief Wrangler” and we carry this title with great pride,” said Paredes. We know there are a lot of voices that need to be heard by the Supreme Court and we have made it our goal to make sure this happens. That’s why funding briefs of this nature are so important.”

Join GOC’s fight in the courts, the legislature and the elections – for more information on how you can help, click HERE.