Welcome to CalMatters, the only nonprofit newsroom devoted solely to covering issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the most important issues in the Golden State.
Lifelong hunter J.R. Young of San Jose rushed to an online ammunition dealer last week after a federal court decision overturned a California gun law that required background checks in person at every point of sale.
Click Here to Subscribe to the California Political Review
“Is this freedom week?” he said. “I was just curious to see if this striking down of the law is allowing companies to ship into the state again.
“The way we live in society now — when we want to buy something, we don’t want to go and take a trip to the store.”
Many bullet junkies, hunters and gun enthusiasts like Young quietly celebrated the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that may or may not ultimately put a dent in the state’s strict policies for purchasing ammunition.
For now, they can’t avoid the background checks. Four days after the decision, gun and ammunition dealers received notice that the in-state background check law still holds until the Department of Justice processes the ruling and issues an official mandate.
It’s unclear what will happen to the online ammunition orders Californians tried to make before that notice.
Second Amendment advocates have been here before. They have challenged the constitutionality of the measure that restricted gun ownership, Proposition 63, ever since voters approved it in 2016 and have seen a mix of rulings for and against them.
This time, the case is unfolding after a landmark 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down a New York City concealed carry law and generally limited how cities and states can restrict access to firearms.
Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the 9th Circuit ruling that curbed the California background checks, but neither he nor Attorney General Rob Bonta have said whether the state would appeal it. Newsom was the primary advocate for Prop. 63, and he has defended the state’s restrictions on the sale of guns and ammunition as meaningful in reducing gun violence.
Under the measure, consumers pay a fee for the background check, which just last month rose from $1 to $5 per sale. But more costly than that, an additional 11% excise tax went into effect in 2024 for the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund — money allocated for prevention, education, research, response, and investigation programs. That tax won’t change under the new ruling.
“Being in a one-party state, they’re going to continue to push and regulate,” said Patrick Jones, a gun store owner in Redding. “And while this may be a victory, it’s hard to get really excited about it because it’s just one in a sea of court battles that are coming.”
The Democrats have tried and tried to confiscate rifles and pistols from the general public for DECADES.
When they band so called assault rifles the CCP ramped up smuggling into Baja and off the coast. The likes of Weeny and Slick could not stand it…….. They filed lawsuits to criminalize fire arms owners and failed.
They have found out that with the latest in computer tech. the criminals are making guns *Laugh* and selling them. Now there is a JOKE on the dictators. Then Obama, Biden and others did their best to “buy” up the ammunition. That failed and developed the criminal black market.
This STUPID ITEM — “But more costly than that, an additional 11% excise tax went into effect in 2024 for the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund — money allocated for prevention, education, research, response, and investigation programs.””””” Ignores the fact that groups like the NRA have and promote firearm safety.
Their education is done in class room and then on gun ranges. Nothing like the idiotic propaganda of the Socialist Left.
What was learned at NRA classes as a kid held me in great stead in the Army and saved lives.
When are you Democrat idiots going to get it. You have lost. You have not been able to control the criminals and their Black Market?
You really are a bunch of jerks.