A federal judge has halted California’s ban on gun shows at county fairs, ruling that the state is infringing on the rights of sellers and potential buyers. U.S. District Judge Mark Holcomb’s decision blocks the enforcement of two state laws, both authored by Democratic state Sen. Dave Min. One law, which took effect this year, extended the ban to county fairgrounds on state-owned land, while the other, effective from January 2022, prohibited gun shows at the Orange County Fair.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Holcomb stated that California’s interest in reducing crimes committed with illegal weapons does not justify prohibiting the sale of lawful firearms at gun shows. The judge’s injunction has sparked controversy, with Sen. Min calling it “shocking” and predicting that it will be overturned on appeal. Min argued that the ban on gun shows at state properties is crucial in curbing the proliferation of firearms, including untraceable “ghost guns” that bypass background checks.
Gun shows are popular events that attract thousands of prospective buyers to local fairgrounds. However, under a separate state law unaffected by the ruling, the actual purchase of a firearm is completed at a licensed gun store after a 10-day waiting period and a background check. Despite this, gun-control groups contend that the shows pose dangers by making weapons appealing to children and facilitating “straw purchases” for individuals ineligible to possess firearms.
It is worth noting that Monday’s decision did not affect another state law that has banned gun shows at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County since 2020. The Cow Palace in Daly City, which previously hosted five gun shows annually, ceased such events in 2020 after various attempts to ban them were vetoed by former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown.
Challengers to the statewide ban on gun shows at county fairs included the California Rifle & Pistol Association, an affiliate of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The association’s president, Chuck Michel, criticized politicians who aim to eliminate the “gun culture” by banning gun shows, arguing that these events are important for learning about guns, gun safety, and gun-control politics.
Attorney General Rob Bonta, who defended the laws in court, may appeal Holcomb’s ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bonta’s office has requested a stay that would keep the ban in effect for at least 10 days, but the judge has denied the request, stating that state officials have not demonstrated a likelihood of either a successful appeal or an immediate danger to the public from gun shows that would take months to schedule.
