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09/07/2021

(Hartford, CT) Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general, led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, in filing an amicus brief supporting federal laws restricting the commercial sale of handguns to persons under the age of 21. In the brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, the coalition argues that such restrictions protect residents from the harmful effects of gun violence, as well as promote the safe use of firearms.

The coalition filed the brief in Hirschfeld v. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, a lawsuit challenging federal statutes and regulations that bar 18-to-20-year-olds from purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. The plaintiffs argue that such restrictions violate the Second Amendment, and a three-judge panel agreed, holding that the federal laws are unconstitutional. The federal government is now asking the full court to rehear the case.

Connecticut has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, but they only go so far if we dont have similarly strong corresponding federal laws, Attorney General Tong said. Our coalition is urging the court to support the law restricting gun sales to people under the age of 21. Doing so is vital to protect public safety and prevent further senseless and tragic gun violence.In the brief, the coalition explains that the decision is the first to strike down an age-based restriction on the sale or access to firearms and so breaks with the decisions of multiple other federal courts. The coalition argues that age-based restrictions on the sale of firearms are presumptively lawful regulatory measures and that such restrictions are reasonably tailored to the governmental interest in public safety.

More specifically, the coalition argues that the court should rehear the case because:

Joining Raoul and Tong in the brief are the attorneys general of California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Elizabeth Bentonelizabeth.benton@ct.gov

860-808-5318attorney.general@ct.gov

See the article here:
Attorney General Tong Files Amicus Brief in Support of Federal Firearm Regulations - CT.gov