USA: Georgia, the 23rd state that allows you to carry a gun without a license 2:04
(CNN) --
A federal appeals court has struck down a California law that prohibited the sale of semi-automatic firearms to anyone under the age of 21, according to a decision filed Wednesday.
The law, which was in effect from July 1, 2021, also restricted purchases of semi-automatic weapons to one per month for all ages.
The United States has the highest rate of gun deaths in more than 25 years, according to CDC data.
Judge Ryan D. Nelson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said in his opinion that the law infringed on the Second Amendment rights of people ages 18 to 21.
"America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army. Today we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice: the right of young adults to keep and bear arms," Nelson wrote. .
Justice Kenneth K. Lee agreed, writing, "We cannot allow good intentions to trump a 'fundamental right' enumerated and deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country."
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State Attorney General Rob Bonta's office said it was reviewing the 2-1 decision.
“California will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent and reduce gun violence.
We remain committed to upholding California's common sense firearms laws, which save lives and make our communities safer,” he read in a statement from his office.
The Gun Policy Coalition, a gun rights nonprofit, was one of the groups that brought the case.
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"Today's decision confirms that peaceful legal adults cannot be prohibited from acquiring firearms and exercising their Second Amendment rights," Adam Kraut, the coalition's vice president of programs, said in a statement.
The decision did not affect an existing California law that requires adults over the age of 18 but under the age of 21 to have a valid hunting license to purchase rifles or shotguns.
California Senator Anthony Portantino, author of both bills, said in a statement to CNN: "While I am disappointed that the court struck down the centerfire semi-automatic rifle provisions, I am pleased that the general provisions of SB 1100, raising the age of purchase of firearms to 21 is still the law in California. I remain committed to keeping deadly weapons out of the wrong hands. The safety of students on our campuses is something we all care about. We must come together and sensible gun control is part of that solution."
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