Big Win in Jr. Sports v. Bonta As Court Denies En Banc Review
As reported earlier today, the lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on firearm marketing to youth, known as Jr. Shooting Sports Magazines v. Bonta, got a boost with the announcement that the State’s request for an en banc panel review of our favorable ruling in a lower court was denied, thus securing our injunction win.
CRPA TV’s Kevin Small broke down the decision and what it means for the path forward in a special installment released earlier today. Watch Now!
As they often do, the state moved to have the MPI heard by an en banc panel of Ninth Circuit judges, hoping for a ruling that would overturn the lower court. Today’s decision puts the case back in the lower court with our Motion for Preliminary Injunction from the original Ninth Circuit panel still intact.
This nefarious law, passed by the legislature as AB 2571, essentially put an end to youth shooting sports in California by preventing anyone from speaking to a person under 18 years of age about anything having to do with any firearms-related product that could be attractive to youth. Naturally, the case raises concerns not only about Second Amendment restrictions but also free speech under the First Amendment.
You may recall that the bill, passed in haste in the post-Bruen summer of 2022, was rife with problems from the start. It was so bad, in fact, that the court granted the legislature another chance to get it right. That didn’t help.
As the court challenge followed its windy path, CRPA sought to educate our members on the intricacies of the law and how to avoid violations. While the injunction is not in place yet (we have to wait for the case to be remanded officially to the trial court), this is a great win for freedom-loving youth in California.