Wiese v. Becerra
Wiese v. Becerra
Opinion of the Court
*1194Before the court is defendants' Motion to dismiss plaintiffs' Second Amended Complaint. (Docket No. 61.) The court held a hearing on the Motion on February 5, 2018.
I. Factual and Procedural History
This case concerns a challenge to California's prohibition on the possession of gun magazines that can hold more than ten bullets, or "large capacity" magazines ("LCM").
On July 1, 2016, California enacted Senate Bill 1446 ("SB 1446"), which amended California Penal Code § 32310, criminalizing the possession of large capacity magazines as of July 1, 2017, regardless of when the magazines were obtained. Then, on November 8, 2016, the California electorate approved Proposition 63, which largely mirrors SB 1446. The amended version of Section 32310 enacted by Proposition 63 requires that anyone possessing a large capacity magazine either remove the magazine from the state, sell the magazine to a licensed firearms dealer, or surrender the magazine to a law enforcement agency for its destruction prior to July 1, 2017.
On April 28, 2017, plaintiffs filed the instant action alleging that Section 32310 is unconstitutional. After the original Complaint was amended, the court denied plaintiffs' request for a temporary restraining order and then denied plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction. (Docket Nos. 45, 52.) In denying a preliminary injunction, the court held that injunctive relief was not warranted because, among other things, (1) the ban survived intermediate scrutiny under the Second Amendment; (2) a complete ban on personal property deemed by the state to be harmful to the public is likely not a taking for public use requiring compensation; (3) the ban was not void for vagueness because the version of the ban enacted by Proposition 63 controlled, as it was enacted after the passage of SB 1446; (4) the ban was not void for vagueness because it is not paradoxical to exempt possession of large capacity magazines for certain individuals while not allowing these individuals to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or receive the magazines; and (5) the ban was not unconstitutionally overbroad because the overbreadth doctrine does not apply in *1195the Second Amendment context and the law does not prohibit a substantial amount of constitutionally protected conduct. The court further noted that injunctive relief is generally not available for takings claims and that plaintiffs had not shown that the balance of hardships or public interest weighed in favor of injunctive relief.
Plaintiffs then filed their Second Amended Complaint ("SAC"), which expands on their previously asserted claims and which adds (1) an Equal Protection claim under the U.S. and California Constitutions, based on the exemption for large capacity magazines used as props in movies and television; (2) an allegation that the ban operates as a taking under the California Constitution; and (3) allegations regarding SB 1446's alleged "preamendment" of Proposition 63 in support of their claim that the ban is void for vagueness because of the differences in the two versions of the ban. (Docket No. 59.)
II. Discussion
A. Second Amendment Challenge
To evaluate a Second Amendment claim, the court asks whether the challenged law burdens conduct protected by the Second Amendment, and if so, what level of scrutiny should be applied. Fyock,
a. Burden on Conduct Protected by the Second Amendment
Plaintiffs have alleged, and there is no dispute in this case, that many people inside and outside of California have for many years lawfully possessed large capacity magazines for purposes such as self-defense, target shooting, and hunting. (See SAC ¶¶ 32-34, 46, 48-49, 57; see also Heller v. District of Columbia,
b. Appropriate Level of Scrutiny
In determining what level of scrutiny applies to the ban on large capacity magazines, the court considers (1) how closely the law comes to the core of the Second Amendment right, which is self-defense, and (2) how severely, if at all, the law burdens that right. Fyock,
Here, as discussed in the court's prior order, intermediate scrutiny is appropriate because "the prohibition of ...large capacity magazines does not effectively disarm individuals or substantially affect their ability to defend themselves." See Heller II,
Indeed, virtually every other court to examine large capacity magazine bans has found that intermediate scrutiny is appropriate, assuming these magazines are protected by the Second Amendment. See Fyock,
Accordingly, because California's ban does not substantially burden individuals' ability to defend themselves, intermediate scrutiny is appropriate.
c. Application of Intermediate Scrutiny
Intermediate scrutiny requires "(1) the government's stated objective to be significant, substantial, or important; and (2) a reasonable fit between the challenged regulation and the asserted objective." Fyock,
One stated objective of California's large capacity magazine ban is to reduce *1197the incidence and harm of mass shootings.
Further, multiple courts have found a reasonable fit between similar bans with similar stated objectives. See Kolbe,
As discussed in the court's order denying a preliminary injunction, reasonable minds will differ as to the best way to reduce the incidence and harm of mass shootings. However, defendants are only required to show a reasonable fit between the ban and this important objective, and courts give substantial deference to the predictive judgments of the voters that passed Proposition 63. See Fyock,
*1198B. Takings Clause/Due Process Challenge
The Fifth Amendment prohibits the taking of private property for public use without just compensation. U.S. Const. amend. V. The Takings Clause prohibits both "physical" takings and "regulatory" takings. Lingle v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc.,
While the Takings Clause of the California Constitution does "protect[ ] a somewhat broader range of property values than" its federal counterpart, the two clauses have generally been interpreted the same by the California Supreme Court. See San Remo Hotel, L.P. v. City & County of San Francisco,
Plaintiffs argue that the magazine ban operates as an unconstitutional taking under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments and the California Constitution because they will have to physically turn over their magazines for destruction or, in the alternative, they will be completely deprived of all beneficial use of their magazines, without just compensation.
Notwithstanding plaintiffs' allegations, California's large capacity magazine ban does not operate as a physical taking. The ban does not require that owners turn over their magazines to law enforcement-they may alternatively sell the magazines to licensed gun dealers, remove them from the state, or permanently modify the magazines so that they no longer accept more than 10 rounds. The impracticality of any particular option, such as the alleged lack of a market for these magazines, the burden in removing these magazines from the state, or the lack of guidance on what constitutes a permissible permanent modification does not transform the regulation into a physical taking. Nor does the court accept plaintiffs' assertion that permanently modifying a magazine to accept no more than ten rounds "destroys the functionality" of the magazine, given that plaintiffs do not allege that owners of these magazines will not be able to use their modified magazines, which would then simply have a lower capacity than before the modification.
Nor does the large capacity magazine ban operate as a regulatory taking, for similar reasons. In the context of real property, the Supreme Court has explained that a regulation does not operate as a compensable taking unless the regulation "completely deprive[s] an owner of all economically beneficial use of her property." Lingle,
C. Vagueness Claims
The Fifth Amendment also provides that "[n]o person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." U.S. Const. amend. V. The government violates due process when it deprives an individual of life, liberty, or property pursuant to an unconstitutionally vague criminal statute. Johnson v. United States, --- U.S. ----,
Plaintiffs claim that the large capacity magazine ban is void for vagueness on multiple grounds: (1) SB 1446 and Proposition 63 created two different versions of California Penal Code § 32406, and it is not clear which version applies;
As discussed by the court in its order denying a preliminary injunction, plaintiffs do not cite, and the court is unaware of, any case that has held an enactment to be void for vagueness because it conflicts with another enactment and it is not clear which enactment controls. The only case of which the court is aware where that argument was made held that such enactments were not void for vagueness. See Karlin v. Foust,
Plaintiffs argue that the "later-in-time" rule is merely a presumption and that California law has a seemingly conflicting presumption that "absent clear evidence to the contrary, the later enactment of a law is not intended to repeal or supplant earlier laws on the same subject and instead both statutes are intended to be enforced." (Mot. Opp'n 46 (Docket No. 71) (citing People v. Carter,
However, plaintiffs have not sufficiently alleged why the normal presumption that a later enacted version of a law controls does not apply. The cases relied on by plaintiffs explain that a later enacted statute supersedes *1201the earlier statute if either (1) it is clear that the later statute is intended as a complete revision or substitute for the earlier statute, or (2) if the "object or purpose of the quasi-repealing statute is identical with that of the statute to be so repealed" or there is a "real, or at least apparent, conflict or inconsistency between the two statutes." See Carter,
Moreover, the Voter Information Guide attached to Proposition 63 included a legislative analysis explaining that "recently enacted law" beginning July 2017, which obviously refers to SB 1446, exempts various individuals, and that "Proposition 63 eliminates several of these exemptions," and "increases the maximum penalty for possessing large capacity magazines." (Mot. Ex. B at 87.) In other words, California voters were told before they passed Proposition 63 that Proposition 63 would replace the version of the large capacity magazine ban enacted by SB 1446, such that it is clear that Proposition 63 was intended to replace SB 1446's version of the ban.
Plaintiffs once again allege that the large capacity magazine ban is vague because (1) it is an "absurdity" to exempt possession for retired law enforcement officers, and in the case of SB 1446, certain other individuals, while prohibiting them from bringing such magazines into the state or giving or receiving them, and (2) the options for disposal, with the exception of turning the magazines over to the state, are "illusory." (SAC ¶¶ 95-101.) As discussed in the court's denial of the preliminary injunction, any ambiguity on these issues are at most marginal questions regarding a statute whose application is clear in the vast majority of intended applications. See Cal. Teachers Ass'n v. State Bd. of Educ.,
*1202Further, the court once again rejects plaintiffs' contention that it is absurd to allow these individuals to possess these magazines but prohibit them from manufacturing, importing into the state, keeping for sale, offering for sale, giving, lending, buying, or receiving them. It is entirely possible to possess a large capacity magazine without engaging in those other activities. Moreover, the court is unaware of, and plaintiffs have cited no authority holding, that a statute is unconstitutionally vague where one or more methods of compliance are impractical but another method of compliance is not impractical. Any difficulty plaintiffs or the public might have in seeking to sell their magazines to a licensed gun dealer or remove them from the state is not grounds to invalidate the ban as unconstitutionally vague, when it is clear that individuals may comply with the ban by surrendering them to a law enforcement agency for destruction.
Because plaintiffs have not sufficiently alleged that the large capacity magazine ban is void for vagueness, the court will dismiss plaintiffs' vagueness claims in Count III and Count IV.
D. Overbreadth Claim
Plaintiffs allege that the large capacity magazine ban is unconstitutionally overbroad because there is no evidence that application of the ban to current owners of large capacity magazines would further the objectives of reducing mass shootings and the harm inflicted during those shootings, as well as making the current regulations less difficult to enforce. (SAC ¶ 103.)
However, as the court discussed on plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction, the court is unaware of any cases applying the overbreadth doctrine in the Second Amendment context, and plaintiffs have provided no authority compelling the court to expand the overbreadth doctrine to the Second Amendment. See United States v. Salerno,
Moreover, challenging a law on overbreadth grounds requires a showing *1203that the law prohibits "a substantial amount" of constitutionally protected conduct, Powell's Books, Inc. v. Kroger,
E. Equal Protection Claim
Plaintiffs' final claim is that the large capacity magazine ban violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution because it exempts the use, purchase, or possession of large capacity magazines for use solely as a prop for motion picture, television, or video production, which favors actors and other individuals affiliated with them over other California residents and visitors. (SAC ¶¶ 107-115.)
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment "directs that all persons similarly circumstanced shall be treated alike." Plyler v. Doe,
Under rational basis review, the court asks whether the ordinance is rationally related to a legitimate government interest, and statutes are generally presumed valid. Honolulu Weekly,
Equal protection claims under the U.S. Constitution are generally analyzed the same as equal protection claims under the California Constitution, and the rational basis test under California law is no more rigorous than under federal law. See Walgreen Co. v. City and County of San Francisco,
California's exemption for use of large capacity magazines as props for motion picture, television, or video production *1204does not involve a suspect class, and the court has already determined that California's ban survives intermediate scrutiny under the Second Amendment. Accordingly, rational basis applies. See Nordyke,
Applying rational basis review, plaintiffs have not shown that there is no rational basis for California's exemption for television, video, and movie props. The court cannot know for certain why this exemption was included. Nevertheless, the California electorate could have rationally believed that large capacity magazines used solely as props were not at risk of being used in mass shootings and that such an exception would benefit an important sector of the California economy. Thus, the exemption survives rational basis review, and plaintiffs have not sufficiently alleged that the exemption violates the Equal Protection Clause of either the U.S. or California Constitution. The court will therefore dismiss Count V.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Docket No. 61) be, and the same hereby is, GRANTED. Plaintiffs have twenty days from the date this Order is signed to file a Third Amended Complaint, if they can do so consistent with this Order.
Large capacity magazines are defined under California Penal Code § 16740 as any ammunition-feeding device with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds, though this section specifically excludes from this definition any "ammunition feeding device that has been permanently altered so that it cannot accommodate more than 10 rounds."
Soon after the court's order, the ban on possession of grandfathered large capacity magazines was enjoined by Judge Roger T. Benitez in Duncan v. Becerra,
Because the court holds that California's large capacity magazine ban burdens conduct protected by the Second Amendment because these magazines are commonly possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, the court does not examine whether the ban resembles longstanding provisions historically exempted from the Second Amendment. See Fyock,
The court recognizes plaintiffs' allegation that magazines are an integral part of firearms. However, the fact that plaintiffs or all Californians may not be able to use certain magazines, or even certain firearms for which large capacity magazines are the only available magazines, does not prevent residents of California from defending themselves using magazines capable of holding no more than ten rounds, and handguns compatible with these magazines.
On plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction, the court also considered the government's stated objective that the ban on possession was intended to ease enforcement of California's existing ban on the purchase, sale, transfer, receipt, or manufacture of large capacity magazines. The text of Proposition 63 does not specifically refer to this objective and the court does not consider it in deciding the instant Motion to Dismiss.
The court takes judicial notice of the text of Senate Bill 1446, Proposition 63, the California Official Voter Information Guide for Proposition 63, the California Department of Justice Finding of Emergency and Notice of Proposed Emergency Action regarding Proposition 63, the version of California Penal Code § 32406 enacted by SB 1446, and the version of § 32406 enacted by Proposition 63, as the text of these documents is not subject to reasonable dispute, the documents were previously attached to pleadings in this case, and the court may take judicial notice of legislative history reports when ruling on a motion to dismiss. See, e.g., In re Google, Inc. Gmail Litig., No. 13-MD-02430-LHK,
The court similarly rejects plaintiffs' assertion that requiring large capacity magazines owners to modify the magazine to allow fewer than 11 rounds constitutes "damage" within the meaning of the California Constitution's taking clause, given the California Supreme Court's pronouncements that takings under the United States Constitution and the California Constitution are generally equivalent, notwithstanding the addition of the word "damage" in the California Constitution, which was intended to cover damage to adjacent property resulting from the construction of public improvements. See San Remo Hotel,
Contrary to plaintiffs' assertion, it is not clear that this rule applies in the context of personal property. See Lucas,
Further, plaintiffs have not plausibly alleged that the large capacity magazine ban operates as a partial regulatory taking under Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City,
Because the court determines that the large capacity magazine ban does not operate as a physical or regulatory taking given the options for disposal or modification, it does not decide whether a complete ban on personal property deemed harmful by the state may be a compensable taking, notwithstanding the court's prior discussion in its order denying a preliminary injunction.
Plaintiffs claim the large capacity magazine ban is void for vagueness on multiple grounds, which are alleged in Count III and Count IV. The court discusses all of plaintiffs' vagueness contentions in this section.
SB 1446 exempts six classes of individuals/entities-(1) honorably retired law enforcement officers, (2) historical societies and museums, (3) persons who find and deliver large capacity magazines to law enforcement agencies, (4) forensic laboratories, (5) trustees and executors, and (6) persons in lawful possession of a firearm acquired prior to 2000 that is only compatible with a large capacity magazine-from the prohibition on possession of these magazines. In contrast, the Proposition 63 only exempts honorably retired law enforcement officers.
The Second Amended Complaint also contains a brief allegation that it is unclear whether a magazine is prohibited by the ban where the magazine accepts different types of ammunition and is capable of holding more than ten rounds of one type of ammunition, but the firearm for which the magazine is used does not accept that ammunition. However, even if the magazine holds less than 11 rounds when used with a particular firearm, as stated by
SB 1446 provided that possession of a large capacity magazine in violation of the statute constituted an infraction punishable by fine, while Proposition 63 provided that possession in violation of the statute constitutes an infraction punishable by fine or a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, or both.
Further, plaintiffs' "preamendment" argument, that SB 1446 "preamended" Proposition 63, is not persuasive because neither the text nor the legislative history of SB 1446 discussed anything about preamending Proposition 63, notwithstanding the statement of the California Department of Justice in the Finding of Emergency, which was later withdrawn, that SB 1446 was intended to preamend Proposition 63. Notably, the California Legislature included express language in a related bill that the bill would amend the Safety for All Act of 2016 if the Act was enacted by voters. See 2016 Cal. Stats. ch. 55 (SB 1235) (preamending Proposition 63's requirements regarding the sale of ammunition). The fact that this language was omitted from SB 1446 tends to show that while the California Legislature was aware of the possible future passage of Proposition 63, SB 1446 did not preamend Proposition 63-the legislature intended to ban possession of large capacity firearms regardless of whether Proposition 63 passed.
Plaintiffs' cited cases are not to the contrary. In Powell's Books, Inc. v. Kroger,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William WIESE, an individual Jeermiah Morris, an individual Lance Cowley, an individual Sherman Macaston, an individual Clifford Flores, individually and as trustee of the Flores Family Trust L.Q. Dang, an individual Frank Federeau, an individual Alan Normandy, an individual Todd Nielsen, an individual The Calguns Foundation Firearms Policy Coalition Firearms Policy Foundation and Second Amendment Foundation v. Xavier BECERRA, in his official capacity as Attorney General of California and Martha Supernor, in her official capacity as Acting Chief of the Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms
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