By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Months after the State of California adopted legislation allowing non-residents to apply for concealed carry licenses, the state has agreed to pay legal fees accrued by plaintiffs who challenged the prohibition in federal court.
According to Legal News Online, the settlement was announced this week. The agreement includes the California Rifle and Pistol Association; The Second Amendment Foundation; Gun Owners of America; Gun Owners Foundation; and Gun Owners of California, plus several individual plaintiffs.
The two-page court order may be read here. Under the agreement, California will pay $128,206.50 to the plaintiffs
This puts closure on a legal fight which had lasted for years. The lawsuit was originally filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and included a dissection of the state’s myriad gun control laws.
California adopted AB 1078 last year, which opened the door for non-resident carry applications. For many years, the state had not allowed non-residents to apply for carry licenses. Non-resident licenses are still not honored, as there is no reciprocity with other states.
California still has among the highest fees and a lengthy waiting time for license applications, although the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for foot-dragging on resident applications. That case is still pending in federal court.
A ruling by a federal judge last year set in motion the change of policy.
Concealed carry across state lines is a major issue within the Second Amendment community, which has argued for years that the right to keep and bear arms, and the right of self-defense, does not end at a state’s border.
While California remains among the states which still require carry permits, 29 states have adopted “Constitutional Carry” laws, which allow citizens to carry without a license or permit.
