Court Delivers Crushing Blow to ATF’s ‘Engaged in the Business’ Rule

Summary

A federal judge in a Texas Federal District Court has issued a final judgment striking down key aspects of the ATF's controversial "Engaged in the Business" (EIB) Final Rule. This ruling in `Texas v. ATF`, brought by Gun Owners of America and the State of Texas, vacates the rule that stemmed from the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The court found the rule's vague standards and subjective criteria exceeded ATF's statutory authority and were inconsistent with Second Amendment historical tradition, thus providing a major win for gun owners against agency overreach.