On January 1, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside a coalition of attorneys general from 16 other states and the District of Columbia, filed an amicus brief in support of Maryland’s Gun Safety Act of 2023. The brief was submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in the case Kipke v. Moore and Novotny v. Moore, which challenges Maryland’s restrictions on carrying firearms in sensitive places.
Attorney General Bonta stated that more firearms in more locations only increases the risk of harm and disrupts the ability of individuals to live peacefully in their communities. Citing the ongoing trauma caused by mass shootings, Bonta underscored the importance of enacting sensible regulations to protect the public from gun violence. He also emphasized the right of states to implement such protections in the interest of safety, aligning with previous Supreme Court rulings affirming that the Second Amendment does not prevent reasonable state-level firearm restrictions.
Maryland’s law outlines restrictions on carrying firearms in places like schools, healthcare facilities, public infrastructure, and entertainment venues, including museums, stadiums, amusement parks, and casinos. Private property owners must consent for firearms to be carried on their property, and carrying firearms within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration is also prohibited. Exceptions include law enforcement officers, private security personnel, and individuals transporting firearms in locked containers.
In addition to California, the brief was supported by the attorneys general of Illinois, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.