California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of 17 attorneys general, has filed a brief supporting Illinois in the case Barnett v. Raoul. This case is currently before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The law in question prohibits the possession, sale, or transfer of certain assault weapons and large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds for long guns and 15 rounds for handguns.
Attorney General Bonta stated, "We do not need these dangerous weapons and firearm accessories on our streets, and their use and possession are not protected by the Second Amendment." He emphasized that such weapons have been involved in numerous mass shootings across the United States, including California. Bonta urged the Seventh Circuit to uphold these prohibitions.
In California, laws have restricted large-capacity magazines since 2000. Proposition 63, passed in 2016, further banned their possession. Since 1989, California has also limited certain makes and models of assault weapons and imposed bans on those with specific combat-oriented features since 2000.
The brief was filed alongside attorneys general from New Jersey, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
A copy of the brief is available online.