Federal Judge Upholds California’s Age-Based Firearms Restrictions: Attorney General Bonta Celebrates Another Important Win for Firearm Safety

SAN DIEGO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California held that California’s age-based restrictions on sales and transfers of firearms are constitutional. The case, Chavez v. Bonta, was a Second Amendment challenge to California's law prohibiting licensed firearms dealers from selling, supplying, delivering, or giving possession or control of handguns or semiautomatic centerfire rifles to 18- to 20-year-olds who are not active members of law enforcement or the military. The plaintiffs also challenged the law’s requirement that 18- to 20-year-olds must first pass a training course and obtain a hunting license before being able to purchase other long guns from licensed dealers.

“We applaud the court’s decision and celebrate this important victory in the fight against gun violence,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This commonsense regulation will continue to protect our young and vulnerable communities from preventable gun violence. I am proud of the countless hours my team has put in to defend this law and we know the fight is not over. We will continue to lead efforts to defend commonsense gun-safety laws and protect our communities from senseless violence.”

A copy of the court order can be found here.