Gun-rights groups sue California over a ban on gun conversion devices, alleging a violation in 2nd amendment rights
The NRA is suing California over a ban on Glock-style weapons with features to be converted to fully automatic.
The law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, which prohibits the sale of semiautomatic pistols with a “cruciform trigger bar” or commonly known as a “switch”. The switch is an attachment that increases the gun’s firepower and speed, allowing it to spray bullets rapidly.
The bill was aiming to ban the weapon that has been used in a number of recent mass shootings in California. Like the shooting in Sacramento in 2022, resulting in 6 deaths and dozens injured.
The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of California, and alleges the bill is violating the 2nd Amendment. Plaintiffs listed in the suit include the NRA, Firearms Policy Coalition, and the Second Amendment Foundation, in addition to smaller businesses and backers.
“Newsom and his gang of progressive politicians in California are continuing their crusade against constitutional rights,” John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. “They are attempting to violate landmark Supreme Court decisions and disarm law-abiding citizens by banning some of the most commonly owned handguns in America.”
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who first introduced the bill, AB 1127 said, “Automatic weapons are exceptionally lethal and capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute; they are illegal in California,” to the Senate Public Safety Committee in July. Gabriel says the bill is intended to protect communities from gun violence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reported a 540% increase in the number of conversion devices collected by police departments between 2017 and 2021.
Much of the opposition says the bill will only punish legal gun owners and embolden unregulated gun operations. The switch that allows the guns to become fully automatic can also be 3D printed.
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The ban goes into effect on January 1, but does not apply to law enforcement or owners who purchased it before the new year. However, owners cannot transfer ownership or sell the firearm after.