The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on New York’s anti-concealed carry law has broader ramifications for similar gun control laws across the country, many of which can now be challenged by Second Amendment advocates.
Politico reports that some of the states with gun control laws that may now be in jeopardy after the ruling include California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. Such states and jurisdictions also have laws in place that similarly try to restrict the ability of residents to carry handguns in public, in what is known as a “may-issue” approach.
Now, as a result of the Supreme Court’s verdict, such states may have to rewrite the laws that are already on the books in order to avoid legal challenges based
on the court’s latest ruling. Doing so would change these states to a “shall-issue” basis, which means anyone who applies for a concealed-carry permit is more likely to receive one after applying, as they do not have to give a specific reason for doing so.
The now-overruled New York law required any potential applicants to show proper cause for needing a concealed weapon in public, and were often at the mercy of local officials in determining whether or not they could qualify. This was determined by the court, in a 6-3 decision, to be in violation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) celebrated the ruling as a “monumental win,” but pointed out that “many unconstitutional gun control laws remain” throughout the United States.
“Today’s ruling established the right to carry does not disappear at a person’s front door, but many unconstitutional gun control laws remain in America,” the NRA said in a statement. “The NRA will continue to fight these laws until every law-abiding American can exercise their right to defend themselves and their families with the firearm of their choosing.”
Michael Walden, the president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, said that the Supreme Court ruling opened the door for the NRA and other gun rights groups to sue other states with similar laws.
“What it really means is that the NRA, and gun rights advocates will get a do-over and will be in court tomorrow, challenging hundreds of gun laws all across the United States,” Waldman said. “It will be very hard for states and cities and Congress to know what is allowed right now, what kind of regulation or firearms is even constitutional?”