Court Rules Against “Sensitive Places” Law – Cites GOC/GOA Legal Brief

Federal Court, District of Hawaii Cites
GOC/GOA AMICUS BRIEF AND RULES AGAINST SENSITIVE PLACES LAW!

Hawaii Decision Could Directly Impact California’s Parallel Move To Restrict CCW Access 

A spot-on yet unexpected ruling from an Obama-appointed judge in Hawaii’s Federal District Court could spell the ultimate demise of California’s SB 2, which seeks to make it illegal to carry a concealed firearm in the vast majority of the state. On August 8, Judge Lesli E. Kobayashi issued a comprehensive ruling where she accurately used the Bruen test and barred the more significant portions of a Hawaii law from taking place.

In the angry aftermath of last summer’s Bruen decision, Left-leaning states immediately began pushing back against the pro-2A ruling by introducing legislation that declared vast areas to be “sensitive places,” thus prohibiting lawful CCW holders from carrying a firearm.  Hawaii’s SB 1230 did just that, and Wolford v. Lopez, was brought forth by the Hawaii Firearms Coalition to challenge the law from taking effect.

Gun Owners of California, Gun Owners of America, and Gun Owners Foundation – along with valued partners at the Second Amendment Law Center – jumped into the legal fray with a powerful amicus (friend of the court) brief – and got a big win yesterday.

Judge Kobayashi quoted our brief in her 91-page decision, which was key in securing this ruling:

“According to the GOA [and others] Amicus Brief, the vast majority of individuals in the United States with concealed carry permits are law-abiding. See GOA Amicus Brief at 20–25 (discussing the statistics of people with concealed carry permits to support the proposition that people with concealed carry permits are significantly less likely to commit gun-related crimes)… (to read the full decision, click HERE).

It’s important to note that the Hawaii court is within the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over the state of California, making this legal finding more significant than other similar federal judgments in states such as New Jersey and New York.

Next week, Gun Owners of California will be at the State Capitol defending the right of lawful citizens and will testify in opposition to SB2 (Portantino-D).  Make your voices heard on this bill by checking out GOC’s Legislative Action Center HERE.

With the Legislature controlled by a pack of anti-gun wolves, SB 2 is likely to pass, but GOC, GOA, GOF and our strategic partners at the California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA) and the Second Amendment Foundation are set to file a lawsuit to stop SB 2. The win in Hawaii will most assuredly be used as a compelling legal precedent in briefs to block the implementation of SB 2.