A group that organizes gun shows at county fairgrounds in California asked the Supreme Court Wednesday to halt a lower court ruling in favor of laws restricting the buying and selling of guns on state property.
B&L Productions Inc. sued California Gov. Gavin Newsom over two laws. One of them prohibits anyone to “contract for, author or ally the sale of any firearm or ammunition on the property or in the buildings that comprise the Del Mar Fairgrounds,” and another regulation does the same with respect to the Orange County Fair and Event Center.
The state later expanded its legislation to cover all state-owned land.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the challengers, reasoning the law did not meaningfully burden their Second Amendment rights.
They’re now asking the Supreme Court to intervene so that scheduled events are not interrupted.
The groups said in their filing that the appeals court decision “defies common sense.”
“It defies the Ninth Circuit’s own precedent. And it defies this Court’s doctrines on the First and Second Amendments,” B&L Productions and gun rights allies told the high court. “Although the challenged statutes do not expressly ‘ban’ gun shows, that is their stated goal.”
The request was presented to Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, who oversees appeals out of the 9th Circuit, which includes the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii.
She can rule on the request herself or refer to the whole court.
B&L Productions signaled it will file a petition for review of the lower court decision with the justices.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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