It appears that San Diego County may have jumped the gun on a law intended to keep more weapons off the street.
On Thursday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco took aim at a restrictive San Diego County law and ruled that agencies across state must allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms in public.
San Diego County had attempted to reduce the number of concealed weapon permits by requiring residents to demonstrate “good cause” rather than simply a desire for a concealed-weapons permit.
From the SF Chronicle:
State law requires applicants to demonstrate good cause, as well as good moral character, to carry concealed handguns, while leaving the permit process up to each city and county.
“The right to bear arms includes the right to carry an operable firearm outside the home for the lawful purpose of self-defense,” Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain said in the majority opinion.
According to the court, California is only one of eight states that allow local government entities to deny concealed-weapons permits. Local government autonomy on the issue of firearms has been lessened by Thursday’s ruling.
San Diego’s deputy county counsel plans to appeal.
Read more about the ruling at the SF Chronicle.