Back in February of this year, a three judge panel ruled against restrictions on concealed carry permits for California residents. As of Wednesday, that same panel of judges ruled that it is now too late for any opponents to join in to fight against the ruling.
According to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, this decision would prohibit law enforcement officials from gaining “intervener status” to join in further challenges of its ruling in a case originally brought by an independent journalist who sued the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department over its policy of requiring a specific reason for being allowed to carry a concealed weapon in public.”
Bill Gore is the San Diego County Sheriff. He announced that he is not going to fight against the ruling, so there isn’t anyone remaining who may fight the ruling. Gore shared,
“Since becoming Sheriff, I have always maintained that it is the legislature’s responsibility to make the laws, and the judiciary’s responsibility to interpret them and their constitutionality. Law enforcement’s role is to uphold and enforce the law.”
In the ruling that took place earlier this year, the 9th Circuit determined that the restrictions were unconstitutional and that law-abiding citizens should have the right to bear arms under the Constitution’s Second Amendment and they should not be required to justify reasons for carrying concealed weapons. However, not every county in the state entirely agrees on the specifics of the ruling.
There would still be some necessary restrictions if this goes into effect. For example, convicted felons and the mentally ill would not be permitted to possess firearms, and guns would continue to be prohibited in schools and other government buildings.
Brandon Combs is the executive director of the pro-Second Amendment Calguns Foundation. He feels that there will be other counties that will drop concealed carry restrictions. He said,
“Some sheriffs are probably going to see this news as evidence their policies are wrong. But sheriffs and police chiefs in anti-gun jurisdictions may need more help seeing the light. We’ll be happy to help them, even if it means going to the Supreme Court.”
