Supreme Court to Review State Bans on Semiautomatic Rifles

The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear challenges to state and local bans on semiautomatic assault weapons. The cases directly contest prohibitions on rifles such as the AR-15. The justices issued the orders before leaving for summer recess.

The newly granted cases are scheduled to be argued during the Supreme Court's fall term. Los Angeles Times reported that the cases involve bans in Connecticut and Cook County, Illinois. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an Illinois law and Cook County ordinance prohibiting semiautomatic rifles and pistols.

The same outlet reported that the 9th Circuit upheld California's large-capacity magazine restrictions in an en banc ruling after a federal judge initially struck them down. Los Angeles Times reported that California has prohibited the sale and possession of most semiautomatic rifles and pistols that can fire more than 10 shots before reloading since 1989.

Nine other Democratic-led states have similar assault-weapon laws.

At least 10 states have laws restricting large-capacity magazines. Before Tuesday, the Supreme Court had repeatedly declined to review whether the right to keep and bear arms includes semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. In the past two years the court struck down a federal bump-stock regulation in a 6-3 decision and upheld a regulation on unregistered ghost guns in a 7-2 decision.

Bonta. Gun-rights advocates sued in San Diego, resulting in nearly a decade of litigation that ended with the 9th Circuit's en banc ruling.

The 7th Circuit stated rapid-fire guns do not differ from machine guns and military-grade weaponry.