LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit supporting the state of Minnesota’s ban on individuals under the age of 21 carrying firearms in public.   

“Minnesota’s age restriction on carrying in public is a common-sense firearm safety law,” said Nessel. “It stands to reason that anyone who is too young to legally purchase alcohol should also be restricted from publicly toting around a firearm. I gladly join my colleagues in supporting Minnesota’s reasonable legislation to help protect the public from the harmful effects of gun violence.”  

In the amicus brief, AG Nessel and the coalition explain the Second Amendment allows governments to enact sensible and varied regulations to protect the public, including age-based restrictions on the purchase, possession, or use of firearms. Although regulations vary based on each state’s needs, virtually every state has imposed some form of age-based regulation on firearms, including 15 jurisdictions that have made the same decision that Minnesota has by instituting restrictions on the ability of individuals under the age of 21 from carrying firearms in public. In addition, at least 19 jurisdictions prohibit the sale of some or all firearms to those under 21 and at least 11 jurisdictions have set a minimum age of 21 to possess firearms.  

Joining AG Nessel in filing the amicus brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.  

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