Gun Rights Advocates Likely To Challenge Calif. Handgun Ban
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Will a statewide ban aimed at California gun owners backfire on lawmakers?
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports a legal challenge to concealed handgun carry laws may soon be in the works.
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Gun rights advocates are considering filing a lawsuit over new state laws that went into effect in January that prohibit owners from openly carrying even unloaded handguns.
The potential lawsuit would contend that California's concealed handgun laws vary so much between county jurisdictions that they are discriminatory and unjustified.
Some citizens argue that, with certain limitations, an adult with no criminal or mental health record should be allowed to carry a concealed firearm — especially in certain parts of the city.
"In LA with the hate crimes, with the gang-banging going on, everybody is subject to be victimized nowadays," said one man.
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who authored AB144 that was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown back in October of last year, told the Los Angeles Times that the law was "a reasonable move to close a loophole" and expects AB144 to survive legal scrutiny.
Gun rights advocates, however, are expected to wait for the most effective case to possibly take all the way to the Supreme Court as a variety of legal cases continue to work their way through the appeals process.
