California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of 21 attorneys general, has joined a multistate amicus brief in support of a Colorado law that mandates anyone possessing an unserialized frame or receiver to obtain serialization by January 1, 2024. The law also prohibits the use of 3D printers to create frames or receivers. The case, National Association for Gun Rights v. Polis, is currently under review in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“These requirements are crucial in keeping ghost guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and critical to solving violent, firearm-related crimes,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In the State of California, we have seen firsthand the effectiveness of our commonsense gun laws, and it is imperative that similar laws are implemented nationwide. Each year, an increasing number of unregistered firearms and firearm components find their way into our state from areas with laxer gun control laws. This not only leaves law enforcement in the dark but also puts our communities at risk. We cannot accept this as the norm, which is why I am committed to protecting the well-being and security of all Californians through commonsense gun laws.”
A Colorado district court had previously rejected plaintiffs’ challenge to the law, citing that several plaintiffs lacked standing and concluding that the statute does not burden Second Amendment rights as it imposes conditions only on a firearm’s commercial sale.
The amicus brief argues that many states prohibit the possession and sale of unserialized firearms and reversing the district court's decision would jeopardize these prohibitions. It provides policy-oriented arguments supporting Colorado’s law by explaining how unserialized firearms contribute to gun violence and how their lack of serial numbers hinders law enforcement efforts. Furthermore, it contends that Colorado’s law aligns with Second Amendment rights because ghost guns are not commonly used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.
Attorney General Bonta joins attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island Vermont Washington Wisconsin District Columbia
A copy of the brief can be found here.