Two prominent gun-rights groups and a handful of Santa Clara County residents have sued the sheriff's office in federal court over its methods for issuing concealed-carry weapons permits, saying high fees along with required psychological exams and political contribution disclosures are violations of the Second Amendment. The lawsuit, filed with the Northern District of California on Monday, represents the California Rifle & Pistol Association, the Second Amendment Foundation based in Washington State,
In the 50-page decision, the three-judge panel ruled that the challenged provisions of New York's Concealed Carry Improvement Act are consistent with the nation's "historical tradition of gun regulations and, thus, does not violate the Second Amendment" right to bear arms. The panel also concluded that the plaintiffs, several New York gun owners, are "unlikely to succeed" on the merits of their legal arguments.
Before Donald Trump had even won last year's presidential election, Gun Owners of America, one of the country's most aggressive second amendment champions, saw an opportunity to use the coming budget bill to overturn one of the country's core gun laws. Their target: the National Firearms Act. Passed in 1934 in response to gangster-era crime, the NFA imposed registration and a $200 tax on machine guns, silencers, and short-barreled rifles and shotguns.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California's law requiring background checks for bullet purchases is unconstitutional, violating the Second Amendment.
