[JURIST] Several groups filed a lawsuit [complaint] Wednesday challenging the constitutionality of a new Connecticut gun control law [GA Bill 1160, PDF]. The new law expanded the firearms banned as “assault weapons” under existing state law. It also limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds. The complaint alleges these new requirement are overly vague which makes them too difficult to follow. The lawsuit is seeking an immediate injunction of enforcement of the law. The plaintiffs allege that the new restrictions unconstitutionally hamper individuals’ right to purchase firearms for personal protection and prevent retailers from selling weapons that should not be outlawed. The law was passed [JURIST report] in April following the shooting [ABC News backgrounder] at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

This is the latest development in the controversial topic of gun control [JURIST news archive] in the US. Earlier this week, a group of Colorado County Sheriffs challenged [JURIST report] similar regulations. The Colorado laws were passed [JURIST report] in March in response to the Connecticut shooting. Last month Maryland [JURIST report] also approved new gun control laws. In March President Barack Obama urged [JURIST report] Congress to pass three bills which would require background checks for all private gun sales, renew a grant to improve schools security programs and make the act of buying a weapon for someone barred from owning one a federal crime.