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California’s sweeping new restrictions on public possession of firearms, many of which a federal judge enjoined this month after deeming them “repugnant to the Second Amendment,” took effect today thanks to a stay that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit issued on Saturday. That means Californians with permits that notionally allow them to carry concealed handguns will have to think twice before using them, because the state has declared a long list of locations they routinely visit to be “sensitive places” where firearms are prohibited.

Senate Bill 2, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on September 26, makes it a crime for permit holders to carry their handguns in 26 categories of places, including parks, playgrounds, zoos, libraries, museums, banks, hospitals, places of worship, public transportation, stadiums, athletic facilities, casinos, bars, and restaurants that serve alcohol. The list also covers any “privately owned commercial establishment that is open to the public” unless the owner “clearly and conspicuously posts a sign at the entrance” saying guns are allowed.

S.B. 2 “turns nearly every public place in California into a ‘sensitive place,’ effectively abolishing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding and exceptionally qualified citizens to be armed and to defend themselves in public,” U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney noted on December 20, when he issued a preliminary injunction that barred the state from enforcing 15 provisions of the law. “California will not allow concealed carry permitholders to effectively practice what the Second Amendment promises. SB2’s coverage is sweeping, repugnant to the Second Amendment, and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”

Carney was referring to the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling inNew York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which upheld the right to carry guns in public for self-defense. UnderBruen, states may no longer demand that residents demonstrate a “special need” before they are allowed to exercise that right. Accordingly, S.B. 2 eliminates California’s “good cause” requirement for carry permits, along with a similarly amorphous “good character” criterion. By limiting the discretion of licensing authorities, the bill notes, those changes could have opened the door to “broadly allowing individuals to carry firearms in most public areas.” Deeming that outcome intolerable, legislators instead decreed that guns may notbe carried in most public areas.

Several other states, including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Hawaii, have attempted the same end run around Bruen, making carry permits easier to obtain but much harder to use. Their location-specific gun bans provoked lawsuits that resulted in adverse rulings by federal judges. But those warnings did not deter California legislators, who are hoping that the 9th Circuit, which historically has been very friendly to gun control, will bless their transparent trickery. Although the appeals court has not yet addressed the merits of the case, its stay in May v. Bontaallows enforcement of the new restrictions instead of maintaining the status quo.

The lead plaintiff, Sonoma County resident Reno May, explains what that means in a declaration he submitted as part of the lawsuit, which was filed by several carry permit holders and gun rights groups. “Prior to SB 2, I only didn’t carry my pistol when planning on going to one of the few places where carry was not permitted, such as a school or courthouse, or when I intended to have a drink with dinner,” he writes. “Because SB 2 will prohibit me from carrying in many places where I am accustomed to concealed carrying a firearm, the utility of my CCW permit, and thus my right to be armed for self-defense in public, will be outright eliminated in nearly all common contexts.”

May can no longer legally bring his gun to most of the restaurants he patronizes, because they have liquor licenses; it does not matter whether he plans to drink. His permit also is no good on BART trains, at the bank, at the gym (an “athletic facility”), at urgent care clinics, or at the Santa Rosa mall May often visits, which includes a fitness center as well as restaurants that serve alcohol. Even stopping for gas is legally fraught, since “most gas stations sell lottery tickets,” making them “sensitive” as locations “used for gambling.”

The default rule against guns in businesses open to the public poses further problems. “There are many local businesses that I frequent that will likely not post [the legally required] signs, forcing me to either not carry there or stop patronizing them,” May says. “Even the ones that are willing to post such signs may be off limits for other reasons.” His local gun dealer, for instance, “shares a parking lot with several other businesses, including an establishment that serves alcohol.” So even if the gun shop posts a sign welcoming armed permit holders, May cannot bring his gun into the store without breaking the law while crossing the parking lot.

In addition to noting the breadth of California’s gun-free zones, Carney emphasized that state-vetted carry permit holders are “overwhelmingly law-abiding and responsible.” They have to undergo training and extensive screening, and they are rarely implicated in violent crime. They “are not the gun wielders legislators should fear,” Carney wrote, since they “are not responsible for any of the mass shootings or horrific gun violence that has occurred in California.”

UnderBruen, the state has the burden of showing that its restrictions are “consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.” Again and again, Carney found that California had failed to meet that test. In some cases, its arguments were so broad that they could justify a blanket ban on public possession of guns.

Defending the ban on guns in banks, for example, the state likened them to schools. California “contends that banks are like schools because they ‘are frequented by vulnerable populations such as the elderly,'” Carney notes. “But nonvulnerable populations are just as likely to visit banks as vulnerable populations. Accepting a comparison between schools and banks in this context would condone eviscerating law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense altogether.” And that, of course, is the whole idea.

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Progressives are losing the crypto future

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July 21, 2025

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Progressives are losing the crypto future

Progressives are losing the crypto future

As US conservatives rapidly shape the crypto landscape through policy, funding and grassroots adoption, progressives remain divided and hesitant. Progressives lack a unified strategy and risk losing relevance.

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Anker PowerCore Reserve station $88, Schumacher’s new portable level 1 EV charger $130, Aiper IrriSense system $100 off, more

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July 21, 2025

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Anker PowerCore Reserve station , Schumacher's new portable level 1 EV charger 0, Aiper IrriSense system 0 off, more

This week’s Green Deals are starting with Anker’s PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Station down at $88 for all your device-charging needs. Next, we have Schumacher’s new SEV1670 12A Level 1 Portable EV Charger at its second-best rate of $130, as well as Aiper’s new IrriSense Smart Irrigation System getting second-ever savings to $600, which is where it was priced during Prime Day. We also have Hoverfly’s H3 16-inch Folding e-bikes getting add-on accessory bundles and a new one-day-only low price on Greenworks’ pro-grade 3,000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer waiting for you below. Plus, there’s all the hangover savings from last week at the bottom of the page, collected together within our Electrified Weekly roundup.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Carry Anker’s 60,000mAh PowerCore Reserve station and keep devices running for $88

By way of its official Amazon storefront, Anker is offering its PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Bank Station at $87.99 shipped, with it also coming in a few dollars under the brand’s current direct pricing. Normally costing $150 at full price, we’ve mostly seen discounts over the last year dropping costs between $110 and $90, though there have been a few select falls to $80, and recently we saw Prime Day take things to $75. While it may not be the new lowest price, you’re still looking at the third-best rate we have tracked, saving you $62 off the going rate while equipping you with a sizably reliable means to keep your personal devices juiced up and running.

Anker’s PowerCore Reserve power station, which you’ll also find sold under the name 548 Power Bank, is a five-pound backup power solution to top off personal devices with while you’re camping, cruising the roadways, hanging out on the beach, and much more. You’ll have a totable 60,000mAh/192Wh battery capacity here that beats out most power banks on the market while also delivering up to 60W speeds through either its two USB-A ports or two USB-C ports.

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Aside from its easy-to-carry design, it also comes sporting a convenient pop-up light for when you’re out in the dark of the wilderness or even without power at home, coming with two brightness levels alongside an S.O.S. mode to signal for help in emergencies. You can completely recharge its battery by plugging it into a wall outlet or by utilizing up to its 60W solar input to charge via the sun.

schumacher SEV1670 level 1 portable EV charger lying in back of car

Schumacher’s 2025 level 1 portable EV charger plugs into any 120V outlet for on-the-go power at $130

Amazon is now offering the new Schumacher SEV1670 12A Level 1 Portable EV Charger at $129.59 shipped. This model hit the scene at the tail-end of May with a $160 price tag, which has only recently started seeing discounts, with the biggest of them being from the Prime Day sale event two weeks ago that saw the costs taken down to $128. Today’s deal comes in just $2 above that rate for the second-best pricing we have tracked, all while giving you $30 in savings.

If you want to learn more about this new model and its capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Aiper IrriSense smart irrigation system watering lawn in front of house

Aiper’s new IrriSense smart irrigation system covers up to 4,800 square feet at $600 (second-ever discount)

Coming to us through its official Amazon storefront, Aiper is offering the second-ever discount on its new IrriSense Smart Irrigation System back to $599.99 shipped, matching directly from the brand’s website. This new smart irrigation device has only been on the market since May, with it usually going for $700 outside of the two price cuts we’ve seen. It first dropped to this same rate the day before Prime Day began, and hung on to the savings through the four-day event. Now, it’s coming back for a post-Prime second chance, saving you $100 while upgrading your lawn care routine with a smarter alternative.

If you want to learn more about this new smart device, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

man and woman riding side by side on Hoverfly H3 folding e-bikes

Hoverfly’s H3 16-inch folding e-bikes make great first-time rides with four add-on accessories starting from $406

Amazon is offering quite the affordable bundle on Hoverfly’s H3 16-inch Folding e-bike in its orange colorway, and coming with four add-on accessories at $406.09 shipped, while its other colorways are seeing smaller discounts at higher rates. It’s dropping down from the $580 price tag today, with this being the first time we’ve spotted this particular bundle dropping so low. Before the fall to $425 during Prime Day, we only ever saw costs fall as low as $450, with all those rates beaten by the 30% markdown here that gives you $174 in savings and a new all-time low price. Along with the bike, you’ll be getting a front carrier bag, a rear cargo basket, a phone holder, and a rearview mirror to upgrade and elevate your experience.

If you want to learn more about this budget-friendly e-bike, be sure to check out our original coverage of this bundle deal here.

greenworks pro 3,000 PSI electric pressure washer

Greenworks’ Pro-grade 3,000 PSI vertical electric pressure washer falls to lowest price tracked at $285 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the best pricing yet on the newer Greenworks Pro 3,000 PSI Vertical Electric Pressure Washer for $284.99 shipped, with it beating out the brand’s direct website pricing while the closest match at Amazon is the newest counterpart that normally goes for $450. This model would normally run you $400 at full price, which we’ve seen discounts so far take as low as $300. For the rest of the day, you can take advantage of the 29% markdown here to pick it up at the best new price we have tracked, saving you $115 in the process.

If you want to learn more about this newer pro-grade outdoor cleaning solution, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Summer EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Hyundai goes on a ‘full-scale attack’ with its big three-row EV

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July 21, 2025

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Hyundai goes on a 'full-scale attack' with its big three-row EV

Hyundai-IONIQ-9-three-row-EV

Hyundai is gearing up to go on a “full-scale attack” as it ramps up exports of its new flagship three-row EV. The IONIQ 9 is now rolling out in the US, South Korea, and Europe.

Hyundai IONIQ 9 three-row EV production picks up

After launching the IONIQ 9 in South Korea earlier this year, Hyundai had high hopes. However, the flagship electric SUV has struggled to gain traction in the automaker’s home market.

Hyundai is betting on overseas markets, including the US and Europe, to drive sales. In Korea, it has been steadily ramping up IONIQ 9 with plans to go on a “full-scale attack on Europe.”

An industry insider explained (via NewsIs) that “As Hyundai Motor Company speeds up its entry into overseas markets with the Ioniq 9, export volume will increase rapidly.”

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Since it shipped the first models in April, IONIQ 9 exports have tripled. In June, Hyundai exported 1,781, up from 1,482 in May and 539 in April. The higher exports are in preparation for sales kicking off in Europe. Hyundai revealed last week that the IONIQ 9 will start at £64,995 ($87,500).

Powered by a 110 kWh battery, the three-row EV features a WLTP driving range of up to 385 miles. On the EPA scale, it’s rated with up to 335 miles of driving range.

Hyundai-three-row-EV
Hyundai IONIQ 9 at the Munich airport (Source: Hyundai)

Europe is not the only market that Hyundai is taking aim at. The automaker is using a two-track strategy. In the US, Hyundai builds the IONIQ 9 at its new EV plant in Georgia, alongside the updated 2025 IONIQ 5.

Production has been steady at Hyundai’s Metaplant America (HMGMA) plant since it began in April. Hyundai built 2,382 IONIQ 9 models in May and another 1,803 in June. Through June 2025, 1,013 Hyundai IONIQ 9 models have been sold in the US.

Hyundai-three-row-EV
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 (Source: Hyundai)

With IONIQ 9 sales falling from 1,009 in April to 867 in May and then to 767 in June, Hyundai is betting on the US and Europe to make up for the shortfall.

After promising to maintain prices in the US earlier this year, Hyundai has stood by the guarantee. The 2026 IONIQ 9 (see our review of it) is surprisingly affordable with leases starting at just $419 per month.

Hyundai’s new and improved 2025 IONIQ 5 may take the cake as the best EV deal right now, listed with leases as low as $179 per month. To get owners started, it also offers a free ChargePoint L2 home charger with the purchase or lease of any new 2026 IONIQ 9 or 2025 IONIQ 5.

Want to see one for yourself? Use the links below to find 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and 2026 IONIQ 9 models in your area.

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