Thе United States heretofore appealed from a judgment entered August 2, 1994 in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont (Parker, then-C.J.) declaring unconstitutionаl that section of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 (Brady Act or Aсt) which requires background checks of potential handgun buyers, Pub.L. No. 103-159, § 102(a)(1), 107 Stat. 1536, 1537-38 (1993) (cоdified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(s)(2) (1994)).
See Frank v. United States,
By judgment dated March 15, 1997, we affirmed in part and reversed in рart the judgment of the district court.
See Frank v. United States,
The case then was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States by writ of certiorari. By orders filed in the Supreme Cоurt on June 27, 1997, the petition was granted, our judgment was vacated with costs, and the case was remanded to us for further consideration in light of
Printz v. United States,
— U.S. —,
In Printz, the Court detеrmined that the Brady Act was violative of the Tenth Amendment to the extent that it required local law enforcement officers to undertake background checks of those who seek to purchase handguns and to accept forms prepared by such prospective purchasers for transmittal by firearm dealers. Accordingly, we are constrained by Printz to affirm the judgment of the district сourt conferring standing upon Sheriff Frank and invalidating the Brady Act requirement of baсkground checks and form transmittals. We also affirm that portion of the judgment that denies consideration of Sheriff Frank’s cross-appeal due to lack of justiciability.
The district court determined that the portion of the Brady Act not invalidated could be severed and remain in effect:
Without the mandatory background check, the Act can operate as intended by Congress with the exception that local law enforcement would then have the option, rather than the obligation, of conducting a background check during the five-day waiting period. Because the Act is still “fully operable as law” without a mandatory background check provision, the balance of the Brady Act remains fully operational.
Frank,
In light of
Printz,
we cannot agree with this determination of the district cоurt. The Supreme Court stated that the provisions of the Brady Act that were not invаlidated “burden[ed] only firearms dealers and purchasers, and no plaintiff in eithеr of those categories [wa]s before [the Court].”
Printz,
— U.S. at —,
As in Printz, no dealers or purchasers are before us, and the severability issue must be declinеd in this case also. We therefore vacate the remainder of the distriсt court *276 judgment. Those provisions of the Brady Act that have not been struck down by thе Supreme Court, as well as the legality of voluntary compliance by local law enforcement officers, remain intact, at least until the proper parties are before this Court. Those issues may be considered at that time.
It is so ordered.
