Gun rights groups sue over California law that bans marketing of guns to minors News
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Gun rights groups sue over California law that bans marketing of guns to minors

Junior Sports Magazines, Inc. and several gun rights groups have sued for declaratory and injunctive relief over Assembly Bill (AB) 2571. AB 2571 prohibits firearm industry members from advertising to minors. The plaintiffs filed the complaint in the US District Court for the Central District of California.

Violators of the provisions of AB 2571 could face fines of up to USD 25,000. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on June 30 under an emergency order to go into effect immediately.

The Friday complaint alleges that AB 2571 violates freedom of speech protections under the First Amendment and Equal Protection under the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution. Specifically, the complaint asserts violations of the right to free speech, the right to commercial speech, the right to association and assembly, and equal protection. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is the defendant in this case.

The plaintiffs assert that the law imposes a “content- and speaker-based restriction” on protected speech that serves “no legitimate government interest.” They also contend that the law “effectively curtails” the right to assemble because it prohibits the marketing of firearm-related events.

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