California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom may be yearning for a shot at the presidency, but he needs to brush up on Civics 101. He should specifically review how courts determine the constitutionality of laws.
His message to law-abiding Californians and the judge whose recent rulings overturned his previous gun control legislation was to pretty much shove it.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new round of strict gun control measures at a press conference with Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and several Democratic anti-gun state legislators.
Gov. Newsom stated his support for expanded concealed carry restrictions during the media event. There was no mention of prosecuting criminals, only those who follow the law. His new plan includes prohibiting concealed carry in churches, public libraries, zoos, amusement parks, playgrounds, banks, and other publicly accessible privately owned businesses.
The United States Supreme Court warned that overly broad “sensitive places” legislation would violate the Second Amendment. In the majority opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas stated that including broad areas as sensitive places simply because police are present for public safety is casting a too-wide net.
“It is true that people sometimes congregate in ‘sensitive places,’ and it is likewise true that law enforcement professionals are usually presumptively available in those locations,” Justice Thomas wrote. “But expanding the category of ‘sensitive places’ simply to all places of a public congregation that is not isolated from law enforcement defines the category of ‘sensitive places’ far too “broadly.”
That didn’t matter – the proposal had the governor’s full-throated support. The proposed legislation would also ban any Californian under the age of 21 from having a permit to carry a concealed gun despite 18-year-olds being fully vested in their Constitutional rights as adults.