ANTI-GUN Activist: ON THE WAR PATH...AGAIN

A coalition of anti-gun attorneys general from 17 states has filed an amicus brief with the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in support of two restrictive Hawaii laws being challenged as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

The lawsuit revolves around two provisions of Hawaii’s permitting regime— a 30-day time limit to purchase a firearm after receiving a permit and a requirement that police inspect legally purchased firearms within five days.

The brief argues that not only do the laws directly violate the Second Amendment, but they also lack historical support and impose undue burdens on law-abiding citizens exercising their constitutional rights. In March, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court struck down the two provisions, but the state government appealed to the full 9th Circuit.

However, the brief from the 17 anti-gun AGs urges the 9th Circuit’s en banc panel to reverse the decision striking down the provisions. The brief claims that states’ interests in implementing “appropriate, reasonable regulations tailored to their specific circumstances” is more important than the protections afforded by the Second Amendment.

Heading up the AGs’ efforts is California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the most anti-gun attorney generals in the country.

“No one should be made to live in fear: States have both the responsibility and the authority to protect their communities from the threat of gun violence,” Bonta said in a news release announcing the filing. “Commonsense gun restrictions help stop dangerous weapons from reaching the hands of those who shouldn’t possess them, while upholding law-abiding gun owners’ Second Amendment rights. We will continue to stand up for States’ legal authority to enact laws to maintain public safety, including constitutional gun regulations that respond to local needs and concerns.”

Gun-rights groups are also heavily invested in the case, with the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filing a brief arguing against the constitutionality of the provisions. Alan M. Gottlieb, SAF founder and executive vice president, said the amicus brief is part of his organization’s ongoing mission to defend, secure and restore the Second Amendment rights of Hawaii residents.

“These arbitrary restrictions in Hawaii are unique and burdensome, with no parallel in other states,” Gottlieb said. “We urge the Ninth Circuit to either reinstate the three-judge panel’s ruling striking down these laws or rule in favor of the plaintiffs, ensuring that the Second Amendment is treated with the respect it deserves.”