Appeals court upholds San Francisco laws regulating gun ownership - Los Angeles Times
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Appeals court upholds San Francisco laws regulating gun ownership

A federal appeals court has upheld two laws in San Francisco that govern gun ownership.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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<i>This post has been updated, as indicated below.</i>

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court unanimously upheld the constitutionality Tuesday of two San Francisco laws that regulate gun storage and ammunition.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the city had adequately justified an ordinance that requires gun owners to keep weapons either stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock when not carried.

Gun owners sued San Francisco in 2009 to overturn that law, arguing they needed to keep their weapons ready to fire for self-protection in their homes.

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In a ruling written by Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, the court said modern gun safes can be opened within seconds, and the requirement “does not substantially prevent law-abiding citizens from using firearms to defend themselves in the home.”

San Francisco demonstrated that the law “serves a significant government interest by reducing the number of gun-related injuries and deaths from having an unlocked handgun in the home,” wrote Ikuta, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The panel also upheld a San Francisco ordinance that bans the sale of hollow-point ammunition, designed to expand or fragment upon impact. The city argued that such ammunition was more lethal than other kinds.

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The court said there was no evidence “indicating that ordinary bullets are ineffective for self defense.”

The ruling upholds a district judge’s refusal to block both laws.

[Updated 1:38 p.m. PDT March 25: Chuck Michel, a lawyer for the National Rifle Assn., said gun owners would seek immediate review of the ruling, either before a larger 9th Circuit panel or the Supreme Court. “We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will clarify that it meant what it said in its decisions from 2008 and 2010 -- that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class constitutional right,” Michel said.]

Twitter: @mauradolan

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Chuck Michel, a lawyer for the National Rifle Association, said gun owners would seek immediate review of the ruling, either before a larger 9th Circuit panel or the Supreme Court.

“We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will clarify that it meant what it said in its decisions from 2008 and 2010 -- that the Second Amendment is not a second class constitutional right,” Michel said.

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