California's Assault Weapons Ban Ruled Unconstitutional Again, State Appeals Decision

A federal judge in California has ruled that the state's three-decade-old ban on assault weapons is unconstitutional, stating that modern semiautomatic rifles like the AR-15 are commonly used for self-defense by law-abiding citizens and cannot have their Second Amendment rights abridged due to the misuse of these weapons by others. The judge's decision would overturn several state statutes related to assault weapons, but it is not immediately effective as the state has 10 days to seek a stay on the ruling and appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. California's Attorney General has already filed a notice of appeal, emphasizing that the ban remains in effect for now. This is the second recent decision by the judge against California's gun restrictions, following the overturning of the state's ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines.