California can share gun owners’ personal information with researchers, appeals court rules

By TRÂN NGUYỄN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A state appeals court has ruled that California can share personal information of gun owners with researchers to study gun violence. The ruling on Friday reverses a decision by a judge last year. In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to allow the state to share information such as names and addresses of gun owners with researchers. Gun owners and firearms organizations sued the state, saying the law violates their privacy rights. A superior court judge ruled to temporarily block the law last October. The appeals court found the lower court failed to consider the state’s interest in preventing gun violence and ordered the decision be reversed.