The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California has upheld California’s age-based firearms restrictions, declaring the law constitutional. The decision comes in the case Chavez v. Bonta, which challenged the state’s prohibition on licensed firearms dealers selling or transferring handguns or semiautomatic centerfire rifles to individuals aged 18 to 20, unless they are active members of law enforcement or the military. The plaintiffs also contested the requirement for 18- to 20-year-olds to pass a training course and secure a hunting license before purchasing other long guns from licensed dealers.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta welcomed the ruling, stating, “We applaud the court’s decision and celebrate this important victory in the fight against gun violence.” He added that the regulation aims to safeguard "young and vulnerable communities from preventable gun violence." Bonta expressed pride in the work of his team and reaffirmed the commitment to continue defending gun safety laws. "We know the fight is not over. We will continue to lead efforts to defend commonsense gun-safety laws and protect our communities from senseless violence," he stated.
The court order related to this case is available for public access.