Federal court rules Minnesota ban on 18 year olds carrying guns unconstitutional

A federal appeals court upheld a ruling striking down a Minnesota law restricting public handgun permits from those under the age of 21.

The U.S. Appeals Court for the 8th Circuit panel of three judges ruled 3-0 in favor of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and other pro-gun groups. They found that the law, the Minnesota Citizens’ Personal Protection Act of 2003, barring 18 to 20 year olds from obtaining the permits, violated the 2nd and 14th amendments.

"Minnesota has not met its burden to proffer sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption that 18 to 20-year-olds seeking to carry handguns in public for self-defense are protected by the right to keep and bear arms. The Carry Ban violates the Second Amendment as applied to Minnesota through the Fourteenth Amendment, and, thus, is unconstitutional," Judge Duane Benton wrote in the court's Tuesday opinion.

The judgment upheld a prior ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, which relied on the 2022 Supreme Court majority opinion in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

“Politicians should carefully consider the legal ramifications of infringing on Second Amendment rights, ” Rob Doar, senior vice president and political director of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said in a statement. “The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and its allies will relentlessly pursue legal action against any unconstitutional measures introduced in Minnesota.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he was "extremely disappointed" with the decision.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"The people of Minnesota want and deserve solutions that reduce shootings and improve public safety, and today's ruling only makes that more difficult. Despite this setback, I remain as committed as ever to improving public safety in Minnesota by championing and defending lifesaving, common-sense gun violence prevention measures," Ellison said in a statement, per the Star Tribune.

An appeal of the Tuesday ruling would have to be taken up by the Supreme Court.