(02-28) 14:20 PST San Francisco (AP) --
The city has agreed to delay enforcing a voter-approved ban on owning or selling handguns until a judge can consider a National Rifle Association lawsuit challenging the law.
The ban was put to voters in November by the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors. The NRA sued the day after 58 percent of the voters approved it.
City Attorney Dennis Herrera said Monday that the city would honor a judge's request and delay enforcement until at least June 19.
If upheld, San Francisco's measure would outlaw handgun possession by city residents and prohibit the manufacture and sales of guns and ammunition within city limits.
The NRA suit claims the measure violates a state law that authorizes police agencies to issue handgun permits. The NRA says the California Legislature has almost exclusive authority to regulate guns.
The ban on gun sales had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 but was delayed to March 1 under an agreement between the city and the NRA. The handgun possession ban was scheduled to take effect April 1.
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2006/02/28/national/a142008S99.DTL