Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf
Page Number: 147.0

34 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA v. HELLER 

BREYER, J., dissenting 

weapons. Chicago has a law very similar to the District’s, 
and  many  of  its  suburbs  also  ban  handgun  possession 
under  most  circumstances.    See  Chicago,  Ill.,  Municipal
Code  §§8–20–030(k),  8–20–40,  8–20–50(c)  (2008);  Evans-
ton,  Ill.,  City  Code  §9–8–2  (2007);  Morton  Grove,  Ill.,
Village  Code  §6–2–3(C)  (2008);  Oak  Park,  Ill.,  Village 
Code  §27–2–1  (2007);  Winnetka,  Ill.,  Village  Ordinance 
§9.12.020(B)  (2008);  Wilmette,  Ill.,  Ordinance  §12–24(b) 
(2008).  Toledo  bans  certain  types  of  handguns.    Toledo, 
Ohio,  Municipal  Code,  ch.  549.25  (2007).    And  San  Fran-
cisco  in  2005  enacted  by  popular  referendum  a  ban  on
most  handgun  possession  by  city  residents;  it  has  been 
precluded  from  enforcing  that  prohibition,  however,  by
state-court  decisions  deeming  it  pre-empted  by  state  law. 
See  Fiscal  v.  City  and  County  of  San  Francisco,  158  Cal. 
App.  4th  895,  900–901,  70  Cal.  Rptr.  3d  324,  326–328
(2008).  (Indeed,  the  fact  that  as  many  as  41  States  may 
pre-empt local gun regulation suggests that the absence of 
more regulation like the District’s may perhaps have more 
to  do  with  state  law  than  with  a  lack  of  locally  perceived 
need  for  them.    See  Legal  Community  Against  Violence, 
Regulating  Guns  in  America  14  (2006),  http://www.
lcav.org/Library/reports_analyses/National_Audit_Total_
8.16.06.pdf.

In  addition,  at  least  six  States  and  Puerto  Rico  impose 
general  bans  on  certain  types  of  weapons,  in  particular 
assault  weapons  or  semiautomatic  weapons.    See  Cal. 
Penal Code §12280(b) (West Supp. 2008); Conn. Gen. Stat.
§§53–202c  (2007);  Haw.  Rev.  Stat.  §134–8  (1993);  Md.
Crim.  Law  Code  Ann. §4–303(a)  (Lexis  2002);  Mass.  Gen.
Laws, ch. 140, §131M (West 2006); N. Y. Penal Law Ann.
§265.02(7)  (West  Supp.  2008);  25  Laws  P. R.  Ann.  §456m 
(Supp.  2006);  see  also  18  U. S. C.  §922(o)  (federal  ma-
chinegun  ban).  And  at  least  14  municipalities  do  the 
same.  See  Albany,  N. Y.,  Municipal  Code  §193–16(A) 
(2005);  Aurora,  Ill.,  Ordinance  §29–49(a)  (2007);  Buffalo,