Legislative updates, court decisions, and regulatory changes affecting California firearms law.
Federal court permanently enjoined California's AB 2571, which banned firearm marketing to minors. The court declared the law unconstitutional under the First Amendment, and California was ordered to pay $1,381,749.72 in attorney fees and costs across the two cases.
On January 2, 2026, a Ninth Circuit panel struck down California's ban on open carry in counties with populations exceeding 200,000. The Ninth Circuit vacated the panel opinion, granted rehearing en banc, and heard argument in early June 2026. A decision is pending, and all open carry laws remain enforceable.
Duncan v. Bonta is the lead challenge to California's ban on large-capacity magazines (more than 10 rounds). After the Ninth Circuit en banc court upheld the ban in March 2025, plaintiffs sought Supreme Court review. The petition has not been denied and appears to be held pending Grant v. Higgins and Viramontes v. Cook County, consolidated cases to be argued in the October Term 2026. The acquisition and transfer restrictions remain in effect, while the ban on possessing magazines acquired when acquiring them was lawful has never taken effect.
May v. Bonta and Carralero v. Bonta challenged SB 2's list of sensitive places where concealed carry is prohibited. The Ninth Circuit made 20 of 26 categories enforceable (mandate January 23, 2025). Six remain enjoined. On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court decided Wolford v. Lopez, striking Hawaii's identical private-property default and cementing the injunction against SB 2's version. District proceedings continue.
Boland v. Bonta challenges the California Handgun Roster and its microstamping requirement as unconstitutional under Bruen. On October 15, 2026, the DOJ roster listed 1,003 handguns.
Miller v. Bonta is the lead challenge to California's assault weapons ban. On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Grant v. Higgins and Viramontes v. Cook County, consolidated cases on whether AR-15 platform rifles in common use are protected, and the Ninth Circuit vacated submission of Miller on July 1, 2026, pending resolution of those cases. The ban remains fully enforceable.
Rupp v. Bonta is a parallel challenge to California's assault weapons ban filed in the Central District, brought by different plaintiffs but raising similar constitutional issues. The Ninth Circuit vacated the district court's judgment and remanded after Bruen. A later appeal is pending.
Rhode v. Bonta challenges California's Proposition 63 ammunition background check system, which requires point-of-sale background checks for ammunition purchases subject to statutory exceptions and bans direct-to-consumer online sales. A Ninth Circuit panel struck the system down in July 2025, but the en banc court vacated that opinion and reheard the case on March 25, 2026. A decision is pending, and the background checks remain in effect.
On June 23, 2022, the Supreme Court held 6-3 in NYSRPA v. Bruen that New York's "proper cause" requirement for concealed carry permits violates the Second Amendment. The decision established a new text, history, and tradition framework and eliminated "good cause" requirements for CCW permits nationwide.
On June 28, 2010, the Supreme Court held 5-4 in McDonald v. City of Chicago that the Second Amendment individual right recognized in Heller is incorporated against state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.
In a landmark 5-4 decision on June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court held in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, unconnected with militia service, for traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense in the home.