CRPA Wins Major Battle in Lawsuit Challenging Prop 63’s Ammunition Sales Restrictions

CRPA WINS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION CHALLENGING CALIFORNIA’S AMMUNITION RESTRICTIONS

 

In a tremendous victory for all California gun owners, California Rifle & Pistol Association’s lawsuit challenging California’s Prop 63 ammunition sales restrictions resulted in an injunction being issued against the state that prevents California from enforcing the law while the case continues to be litigated.

Rhode v. Becerra – CRPA’s lawsuit – challenges both Proposition 63 and Senate Bill No. 1235, both of which became law in 2016 and violated the Second Amendment and Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.

These new laws initially took effect in two phases. On July 1, 2018, direct shipments of ammunition became prohibited without going through a licensed vendor. Then exactly one year later on July 1, 2019, the law required background checks for all ammunition transactions – but the technology in place failed miserably, improperly denying Californians their Constitutional rights.

Given the issuance of today’s injunction, California is prohibited from enforcing the laws (including the background check provisions and anti-importation provisions) within Prop 63 and SB 1235 while the case is litigated.

“This is a devastating blow to the anti-gun-owner advocates who falsely pushed Prop 63 in the name of safety. In truth, red tape and the state’s disastrous database errors made it impossible for hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Californians to purchase ammunition for sport or self-defense.” said Chuck Michel, President and General Counsel of the California Rifle & Pistol Association. “The Court found that the flimsy reasons offered by the government to justify these Constitutional infringements were woefully inadequate,” he concluded.

While CRPA expects the state to appeal this ruling, Californians can sleep a little easier tonight knowing their Constitutional rights were restored and strengthened by this decision.

CRPA would also like to send a huge thank you out to our co-plaintiffs in this lawsuit Ammunition Depot, Able Ammo, Sam’s Shooter Emporium and to NRA-ILA for financial support of the case.

To donate to these successful litigation efforts and continue the fight for your rights in California click here.