Appeals Court Rules On Gun Shows At County Fairgrounds

Photo by: BJ Hansen

Sacramento, CA — There is another turn in the legal dispute over whether gun shows can be banned on county fairgrounds in California.

They are traditionally a popular spot for this type of event.

However, a bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom took effect last year, barring gun shows at fairgrounds and other similar publicly owned spaces.

In response, last Fall, US District Judge Mark Holcomb ruled that the ban is a violation of commercial speech protections under the First Amendment. On Tuesday, though, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld California’s ban, with a 3-0 vote. The latest decision was praised by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who argued on behalf of the state. The appeals panel stated that the law does not prohibit advertisements or free speech related to firearms, just the sales.

The lawsuit against the state law was filed by the gun show company, B&L Productions, and supported by groups like the California Rifle & Pistol Association, a state affiliate of the National Rifle Association. They plan to appeal the 9th Circuit ruling.