Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has successfully obtained a court decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that allows the California Department of Justice to continue sharing data with qualified gun violence researchers. The ruling in Doe v. Bonta permits the DOJ to provide data to the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center and other qualified researchers under Assembly Bill 173 (AB 173). This data is crucial for evaluating the causes and impacts of gun violence and developing effective strategies to address it.

Attorney General Bonta stated, "Enabling rigorous empirical research is crucial as we strive to combat the scourge of gun violence within our state." He emphasized the importance of the shared information in supporting evidence-based policymaking to reduce firearm violence and save lives.

California law has long required the DOJ to maintain records of handgun sales, with recent expansions to include long guns and ammunition sales. This data is a valuable resource for gun violence research, with the University of California, Davis utilizing it for studies since 1989. In 2016, the Legislature established the Firearm Violence Research Center to conduct interdisciplinary research on firearm violence and collaborate with policymakers on prevention strategies.

Assembly Bill 173 mandated that the DOJ share firearms data with the Research Center and other qualified researchers. Despite legal challenges from five California gun owners asserting violations of their constitutional rights, the Ninth Circuit upheld the law's dismissal of the challenge in a unanimous published decision on May 8.

A copy of the court's decision is available for review.