AG James Prevails in Ammo Sales Law Battle

New York Attorney General Letitia James triumphed in the legal battle over New York’s strict ammunition sale background check law, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld a lower court’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction against enforcement.

James’ office successfully defended the state’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which mandates that individuals undergo a background check when purchasing ammunition, from repeated attempts by opponents to invalidate the law.

In 2022, the CCIA was enacted to bolster public safety. However, in September 2023, the New York State Firearms Association and four individuals challenged the law’s enforcement, arguing it was an infringement on their Second Amendment rights. Despite these claims, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York denied the preliminary injunction request in May 2024.

The plaintiffs appealed to the Second Circuit, but their case was once again rejected. The court found that there was no likelihood of success on the merits, affirming James’ stance that every New Yorker deserves a safe community and that her office is committed to upholding laws that protect public safety.

‘Once again, my office has successfully defended New York’s background checks on ammunition sales despite repeated attempts to undermine this commonsense law. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their community, and my office will continue to defend our laws and protect public safety,’ James stated.

This victory for James marks another significant win in the ongoing struggle against gun violence and underscores New York’s commitment to responsible firearms regulation.

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