Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in support of commonsense state and federal laws that regulate the sale of guns to keep communities safe.
The coalition filed an amicus brief in U.S. v. Steven Perez arguing that federal laws preventing individuals from transporting or receiving firearms from outside the state in which they reside, except through a federally licensed firearms dealer, are essential to protecting public safety. The brief, filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, explains that state and federal regulations of firearms dealers help reduce violent crime and support law enforcement investigations. “Regulation by the federal government of the transfer of firearms across state lines supports and enhances states’ ability to protect their residents from gun violence,” explained Attorney General Brown. “Firearms that cross state lines, many of which are illegally trafficked, are more likely to be used in criminal activity. This is a commonsense measure that protects Marylanders.” In 2020, Steven Perez received illegally purchased weapons from an unlicensed firearms dealer in South Carolina that were transported to him in New York City. Mr. Perez was later arrested, criminally prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to prison in New York. Mr. Perez is appealing his conviction that was handed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming that it violates his second amendment right to carry a firearm. The coalition argues that federal regulations on the transport of guns across state lines do not infringe on second amendment rights, but they do protect public safety and fortify state gun laws.
The attorneys general explain that state regulations of firearms dealers prevent the misuse of guns and help law enforcement effectively investigate gun-related crimes. For example, 17 states, including Maryland, require licensed firearms dealers to maintain detailed records of their inventory and sales, which help law enforcement investigate violent crime and keep communities safer by ensuring that law enforcement has thorough, up-to-date information. Additional state regulations help curb unlawful access to firearms that occur by theft, straw purchases, and illegal sales. In filing the brief, Attorney General Brown joins the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Original source can be found here.