This just in
Appeals court rules San Francisco gun ban null and void.
No details yet. Will let you know.
Update: story hits the news:
A state appeals court refused today to revive a ban on handgun possession in San Francisco, saying the measure that city voters approved in November 2005 conflicts with state law.
The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco agreed with a June 2006 ruling by Superior Court Judge James Warren, who said local governments in California have no authority to prohibit handguns. Warren said a California law that authorizes police agencies to issue concealed-weapon permits implicitly forbids a city or county to ban handgun possession by law-abiding adults.
The San Francisco measure, Proposition H, would have outlawed possession of handguns by all city residents except law enforcement officers and others who needed guns for professional purposes. It also would have forbidden the manufacture, sale and distribution of any type of firearms and ammunition in San Francisco.
Good.
Update 2: NRA presser here:
The California State Court of Appeals announced today their decision to overturn one of the most restrictive gun bans in the country, following a legal battle by attorneys for the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a previous court order against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
“Today’s decision by the California State Court of Appeals is a big win for the law-abiding citizens and NRA Members of San Francisco,” declared Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Proposition H?
You know where you can put that proposition H?
January 9th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
MH beat me to it. For a minute there i thought that was Preparation H.
January 9th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This opinion was quite a spanking by the Court.
January 10th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
As screwed up as California is on guns, the courts, the legislature, and law enforcement have actually been remarkably consistent on not letting localities get into the gun-regulating business. The state laws are bad enough, but at least they don’t let SF, Berkeley, and the like write their own rules.