ATF pistol brace regulation under fire from lawsuits

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A controversial new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulation has had numerous lawsuits filed against it.

Last month, the federal agency issued a new regulation that would require owners of pistol braces to register them with the federal government.

This was because they deemed these pistol braces to create a “short-barreled rifle”, which is subjected to stricter regulations than other firearms.

Pistol braces were designed to assist disabled gun owners stabilize themselves while shooting.

Multiple lawsuits, notably two in North Dakota and Texas, are challenging the Constitutionality of this new requirement.

Reed Martz, an attorney who specializes in Second Amendment law, says, “There’s a lot of similarities between the lawsuits. They’re all seeking to overturn the final rule because of a variety of different reasons. Including that the rule was not properly implemented, that it is impermissibly vague. That it exceeds the ATF’s authority. That it violates the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. That it violates the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which is an interesting tactic, that it violates some taxing powers.”

The attorney’s general of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee have joined 25 states in supporting the lawsuit in North Dakota.

The Texas lawsuit is seeking an injunction to prevent this ATF rule from going into effect in May.