The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down a California law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases, declaring it unconstitutional in a 2-1 decision on Thursday. The law, which took effect in July 2019, mandated that ammunition buyers undergo background checks similar to those required for handgun purchases, aiming to prevent individuals with criminal records or mental health issues from acquiring ammunition.
The court’s decision, led by Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, stated that the law infringed on the Second Amendment rights of Californians. “By subjecting Californians to background checks for all ammunition purchases, California’s ammunition background check regime infringes on the fundamental right to keep and bear arms,” Judge Ikuta wrote in the majority opinion. The ruling follows a lengthy legal battle that began in 2018 and involved multiple court decisions and appeals.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who championed the original ballot initiative for the law in 2016, criticized the ruling as a setback for gun safety in California. “Strong gun laws save lives,” Newsom stated, emphasizing that Californians voted to require background checks on ammunition and that their voices should matter.
The law faced opposition from gun rights groups, who argued that it imposed unnecessary barriers on law-abiding gun owners. Kim Rhode, a plaintiff in the case, called the decision a “big win” for gun owners in California. The state of California may seek a rehearing by a larger group of judges from the 9th Circuit, leaving the future of the law uncertain.
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