Supreme Court Expands Rights To Carry Guns In Public
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court justices struck down a New York state law that restricted the ability to carry firearms outside the home. States with gun controls on the books — like licensing laws — in the wake of mass shootings are left scrambling by the decision.
The New York Times:
Supreme Court Strikes Down New York Law Limiting Guns In Public
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Americans have a broad right to arm themselves in public, striking down a New York law that placed strict limits on carrying guns outside the home and setting off a scramble in other states that have similar restrictions. The decision is expected to spur a wave of lawsuits seeking to loosen existing state and federal restrictions and will force five states — California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey, home to a quarter of all Americans — to rewrite their laws. (Liptak, 6/23)
AP:
American Medical Association Weighs In
The American Medical Association has called the ruling a “harmful and deeply disturbing decision.” “Firearm violence is a public health crisis, and easier access to weapons and fewer restrictions on who can carry them — and where they can be carried — are dangerous steps in the wrong direction,” Dr. Jack Resneck, the AMA’s president, said in a written statement. “Overturning decades of reasonable firearm regulations will cost more lives.” (6/23)
AP:
States With Strict Gun-Permitting Laws Consider Next Steps
New York and a half a dozen other states with similar laws now must decide their next steps. As with New York, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island all have legislatures controlled by Democrats who could propose measures to ensure that guns will not be allowed in certain places. Gun rights groups in those states have vowed to continue pushing back against what they view as restrictive gun control laws. (6/24)
Politico:
California Moves To Fortify Concealed Carry Limits After High Court Invalidates 'Good Cause' Rule
Within hours of the court’s decision to strike down New York’s rules, California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and state lawmakers announced legislation that would bar concealed firearms in places like courthouses and schools and require applicants to undergo assessments for whether they are dangerous to others, which could include checking for criminal records and restraining orders. Lawmakers said they hoped to move the bill through the Legislature and to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk as quickly as possible. (White, 6/23)
The Boston Globe:
‘We’re Talking Days.’ Supreme Court Decision Will Put Mass. Gun Laws At Risk, Experts Say
“It will not take long at all” until the gun licensing law is challenged here, said Kent Greenfield, a Boston College law professor. “The next person denied a permit under the Massachusetts law can go immediately into federal court and get an injunction requiring their permit be issued based on this ruling. We’re not talking months, we’re talking days.” Currently, Massachusetts law gives local police chiefs, who serve as the state’s licensing authority, the discretion to determine whether someone is suitable to have a license. Policymakers say that provision is a key part of the gun safety system in Massachusetts, which had the second-lowest firearm mortality rate in the country in 2020, trailing only Hawaii. (Stout, 6/23)
