PA Joins 18 States to Defend Gun Age Limits

Harrisburg, PA — A wave of gun violence sweeping across Pennsylvania and the nation has spurred Attorney General Josh Shapiro to take a hard stand in federal court, joining 18 other states to defend California’s ban on selling long guns and semi-automatic rifles to people under 21.

The legal push comes in the form of an amicus brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in the case Jones v. Becerra, where plaintiffs aged 18 to 20 claim their Second Amendment rights are being violated. Shapiro and the coalition argue that states hold the right to enact reasonable firearm laws to protect public safety — especially as mass shootings and youth gun crime rise.

“There is a gun violence epidemic plaguing both Pennsylvania and our country, and it is a state’s authority to protect its citizens and establish gun safety laws,” Shapiro declared. “I’m calling on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to protect all of our rights to live safely, while still respecting the Second Amendment.”

The challenged California laws prohibit federally licensed dealers from selling certain firearms to individuals under 21, with narrow exceptions for military and law enforcement personnel. A lower court already denied the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction, finding their claims unlikely to succeed. The coalition’s brief reinforces that states have long imposed age-based firearm restrictions — a practice rooted in public safety, not political overreach.

Citing social science research, legislative records, and statistical trends, the attorneys general assert California’s rules are both reasonable and necessary. They emphasize that states must be allowed to adapt laws to combat evolving threats like mass shootings and youth access to high-powered weapons. The restrictions, they argue, align with similar laws in numerous other states.

The coalition includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, among others. The full brief was led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and targets legal challenges seeking to dismantle state-level gun safety measures. The battle now rests with the 9th Circuit, as states brace for a potential nationwide precedent on youth firearm access.

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