The following from: Second Amendment Foundation
SAF LAUDS PUERTO
RICO COURT VICTORY FOR GUN RIGHTS
19 Jun 2015
BELLEVUE,
WA – A surprising victory for gun rights in Puerto Rico has eliminated the
firearms registry and licensing requirements to purchase and carry in the
Commonwealth, the Second Amendment Foundation has confirmed.
As
of now, according to Sandra Barreras with Ladies of the Second Amendment (LSA),
the group that brought the lawsuit, “there is no regulation to purchase or
carry (and) all purchases will be handled in accordance with federal firearms
regulations.” LSA is affiliated with SAF through the International Association
for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR).
The
class-action lawsuit challenged various articles in Puerto Rico’s gun law,
which the court declared unconstitutional. Because of the ruling, Barreras
said, Puerto Ricans may now carry openly or concealed without a permit, and
they do not need to obtain a permit before purchasing a firearm.
This
was a class action lawsuit involving more than 850 individual plaintiffs, she
reported to SAF offices. The news was greeted with delight, especially because
in reaching its decision, the court cited the Heller and McDonald Supreme Court
cases, and the recent ruling in Palmer v. District of Columbia. Both the
McDonald and Palmer cases were won by SAF.
“Cumbersome
firearms regulations have never prevented criminals from getting their hands on
guns,” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “They
have only inconvenienced law-abiding citizens, or deprived them outright from
exercising their rights under the Second Amendment.”
Gottlieb
said the lawsuit was brought in a Puerto Rican Commonwealth court, rather than
a federal court. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and thus is subject to federal
court jurisdiction.
“This
case turned out better than anyone had really anticipated,” he commented.
“We’re very pleased to have played an advisory role in this case, and if there
is a government appeal, we’ll definitely be there with whatever support we can
provide to our good friends in Puerto Rico.”
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