Supreme Court will decide a gun-rights challenge to blue-state bans on assault weapons
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Set us as preferred WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it will hear a 2nd Amendment challenge to the gun laws in Connecticut and Cook County, Ill., that ban most semiautomatic assault weapons.Before leaving for the summer recess, the justices issued orders on new cases that will be heard in the fall.The new 2nd Amendment case figures to be a major test of what kinds of firearms and ammunition are off-limits to state or federal regulation.The outcome will affect California and all the states led by Democrats that strictly regulate or prohibit semiautomatic rifles, such as the AR-15.Gun-rights advocates say these are among the most common and popular weapons in the country, and they should not banned in some states.
In response, Connecticut state attorneys said only about 2% of Americans own assault weapons, and they rarely use them for self-defense.Since 1989, California has prohibited the sale and possession of most semiautomatic rifles and pistols that can fire more than 10 shots before reloading.
Nine other states led by Democrats have similar laws.State lawmakers said these rapid-fire guns are not needed for self-defense but can be a weapon of mass murder.
All of the blue-state bans could be struck down next year if the court’s conservatives rule in favor of the 2nd Amendment claim.Gun-rights advocates say firearms in “common use” by law-abiding owners cannot be prohibited by the government.Politics Supreme Court extends the right to carry in publicFour of the court’s conservatives have said in past dissents they believe the state bans on assault weapons run afoul of the 2nd Amendment.
They are Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A.Alito, Neil M.
Gorsuch and Brett M.Kavanaugh.
That suggests the fate of those state laws depends on Chief Justice John G.Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett.Jo...