California

Court Revives Lawsuit Against California Bullet Stamping Law

A state appeals court has revived a lawsuit challenging a California law that requires all semi-automatic handguns to be equipped with technology that stamps identifying information on bullet casings.

The 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno, California ruled Thursday that gun manufacturers have the right to present evidence to support their claim that complying with the law is impossible. The appeals court overturned a lower court ruling rejecting the lawsuit and sent the case back down for further proceedings.

Supporters of the law signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007 said it would help law enforcement solve gun crimes by allowing them to trace bullet casings to guns.

Gun rights groups argued that the law was an effective ban on new guns because the stamping requirements were impossible to meet.

A call to the state attorney general's office was not immediately returned.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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