Attorney General Bonta Backs D.C.’s Large Capacity Magazine Ban

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Bonta today, as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, filed a brief in support of the District of Columbia in Benson v. United States which is pending before the D.C. Court of Appeals. The District of Columbia's law bans the possession, sale, or transfer of large-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. California law also imposes similar restrictions on large-capacity magazines.

"We do not need these dangerous firearm accessories on our streets, and their use and possession are not protected by the Second Amendment," said Attorney General Bonta. "Large-capacity magazines have been used in many horrific mass shootings around the country, including right here in California. I urge the D.C. Court of Appeals to reject this effort to invalidate these life-saving prohibitions."

In California, it has been illegal to manufacture, import, keep, or offer for sale, give, or lend large-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition since 2000. It has been illegal to purchase and receive large-capacity magazines since 2013. Proposition 63, which was passed by Californians in 2016, added a ban on the possession of large-capacity magazines.

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington in filing the brief.

Here is a copy of the brief.