Twenty-two attorneys general file amicus brief supporting federal handgun age requirement

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a joint amicus brief alongside 21 other attorneys general to support the federal government’s prohibition of handguns and ammunition to those age 21 and under.

The attorneys general filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit. The amicus brief is written “on the merits,” making arguments on how the Court should have ruled on a case it already agreed to hear. The coalition argues that the Second Amendment allows for governmental regulations, such as the federal age requirement to purchase handguns and ammunition.

“Protecting our communities from gun violence requires multiple solutions, including laws already on the books,” Mayes said. “For nearly 60 years, federal law has prohibited the sale of handguns from federally licensed dealers to individuals under 21. The Second Amendment allows for such age-based restrictions, and I urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to affirm the district court ruling and allow this critical safeguard to stand.”

The federal handgun restriction law is currently followed in 19 states, as well as the District of Columbia. Many of these states are involved in the coalition, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.