CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : NRA Sues State Over Assault Weapon Ban

The National Rifle Assn. sued the state, challenging the constitutionality of its first-in-the-nation ban on the sale of assault weapons. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Fresno, contends that the new law violates a constitutional right to bear arms and illegally restricts civilian marksmanship programs run by the Army. The suit also says the measure is unconstitutional in that it only restricts the sale of certain models of weapons. Named as sole defendant in the case is Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp. “The NRA pulled out all the stops to defeat our ban on assault weapons in the Legislature and failed,” he responded. “Now they will try out their ridiculous position in court. I welcome this fight because I am convinced that street gang members have no constitutional right to own assault weapons.”