TOPEKA – (February 17, 2017) – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt yesterday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a California gun restriction that prohibits citizens from carrying handguns outside their homes for self-defense.
In a brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision, Schmidt and the attorneys general of 25 other states argue the fundamental right to bear arms extends beyond the home. The case centers on a San Diego County gun restriction.
“The San Diego County sheriff’s licensing scheme effectively bans the core right to bear arms for ordinary, law-abiding citizens and, consequently violates the Second Amendment,” the attorneys general wrote. “The experience of amici States demonstrates that the restrictions on bearing arms in San Diego County cannot withstand any level of scrutiny. Although the amici States share the same compelling interests in protecting the health and safety of their citizens, they have been able to do so without curtailing the fundamental right of their citizens to bear arms.”
In addition to Kansas, the other states joining the brief were Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The case is Edward Peruta v State of California. A copy of the brief is available at http://bit.ly/2ls1Go9.
