Equality California Applauds Court Refusal to Hear Assault Weapons Ban Cases

Los Angeles - June 21, 2016 – In response to the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear challenges to assault weapons bans in Connecticut and New York, allowing a ruling from the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals to stand, Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur issued the following statement:

"Assault weapons are the weapon of choice for attacks on law enforcement and in mass shootings, including the shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.  On the same day the U.S. Senate lacked the courage to pass two tough, commonsense gun safety measures, it was heartening that the Supreme Court has again declined to hear challenges to bans on assault weapons that represent a threat to the basic safety of every American. 

When LGBT people suffer daily incidents of hatred and violence, removing assault weapons from our streets is of primary importance to our community. Equality California has launched its "Safe and Equal" initiative to enact meaningful gun safety reforms at the federal and local levels and to mobilize the LGBT community in support of ending gun violence."

Equality California is the nation's largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org