DOJ sues California and Virginia over gun laws

What This is

• The U.S. Justice Department sued California and Virginia to block new state gun restrictions it says violate the Second Amendment.
• The California lawsuit targets a new law that stops licensed dealers from selling some semiautomatic handguns that can be converted to fire fully automatically with illegal add-on devices. The DOJ lawsuit was filed hours after California’s new restriction took effect on July 1.
• The DOJ also challenges parts of California’s “handgun roster,” which limits what handgun models can be sold in the state.
• In Virginia, the DOJ sued over a new law that bans sales of AR-15-style rifles and other firearms the state labels “assault weapons.”
• The DOJ asked federal courts to stop enforcement of the California and Virginia laws while the cases proceed.
• California officials argue the new handgun restriction closes a dangerous loophole and point to declining gun deaths as support for the state’s approach.
• The lawsuits follow a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Hawaii gun restriction, and DOJ leaders warned more states with similar rules could face suits.

Why This Matters

• These suits will shape how strictly courts apply the Second Amendment to modern state gun controls after recent Supreme Court gun-rights decisions.
• The outcomes could change what handguns and rifles can be sold in large states, affecting lawful buyers, gun shops, and how police and regulators enforce sales rules.
• They also raise the stakes of federal power versus state public-safety policy, because the Justice Department is trying to stop laws passed by elected state governments.
• A ruling on “easy-to-convert” pistols could influence how aggressively officials target illegal machinegun conversion devices across the country.