Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor, alongside Attorneys General Raúl Labrador of Idaho and Todd Rokita of Indiana, spearheaded a coalition of 25 states challenging Illinois’ ban on AR-15 rifles and their standard 30-round magazines. In a brief filed with the United States Supreme Court, the coalition contends that the ban is unconstitutional and erodes the Second Amendment rights of citizens.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy underscored the importance of the challenge, expressing concern over the precedent set by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to uphold the ban.
“What the 7th Circuit has done with the Illinois’ ban on AR-15 rifles and magazines should frighten Americans,” Dunleavy said. “They have decided to uphold this ban based solely on the appearance of these rifles, and have abandoned all facts concerning their use, function, and Constitutional protection.”
Attorney General Taylor echoed Dunleavy’s statement, criticizing the 7th Circuit’s decision as “absurd at best” and reiterating that the Second Amendment does not let courts categorize firearms based on their appearance.
Taylor expressed confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court’s history of affirming Second Amendment rights and urged the highest court to correct the 7th Circuit’s erroneous interpretation.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling in Barrett v. Raoul upheld Illinois’ ban on AR-15s, contending that the rifles’ militaristic appearance excludes them from Second Amendment protection. However, the coalition of states argues that such a distinction lacks textual or historical basis, emphasizing that the Second Amendment was originally intended to protect arms used in military combat.
The brief filed with the Supreme Court calls for the Court to grant certiorari and rectify the 7th Circuit’s decision. It asserts that the division created by the 7th Circuit between “militaristic” firearms and those used for self-defense is indefensible and contravenes the plain language of the Second Amendment.
Notably, the coalition challenging Illinois’ ban comprises a diverse array of states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, as well as the Arizona and Wisconsin Legislatures.
The challenge addresses the fundamental interpretation of the Second Amendment and the extent of permissible firearm regulation by states.
