Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will hear a lawsuit that has been filed by pro-Second Amendment groups in New York, challenging the state’s strict laws on the concealed carrying of firearms.
As reported by Just The News, Justice Thomas has arranged for a conference with the entire court that will take place on October 6th, during which he will consider a challenge to the New York Concealed Carry Improvement Act’s provision on background checks for purchases of ammunition. The law went into effect just several weeks ago.
The lawsuit was filed by two New York gun shop owners, who say that the new background check requirements could harm their businesses and deprive New York residents of their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. The new regulations dictate that anyone seeking to purchase a firearm must pay fees for background checks, ranging from $2.50 for ammo sales and $9 for gun sales. The funds from these fees will go to a new background checks program run by the New York State Police Department.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) signed the bill into law in July of 2022, with the intent of making it more difficult to purchase firearms in the state. The law also declares it illegal to carry guns on certain private properties that are described as “restricted.”
The law was passed in response to a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court last year which struck down the state’s 100-year-old law requiring residents to show “proper cause” when applying for a concealed-carry permit. The ruling, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, carried massive implications for similar laws in other states around the country.
In response to the lawsuit, Hochul issued a statement denouncing the plaintiffs as “far-right” and “extremists,” saying that “I know the far-right is focused on placating the MAGA extremists. I’m focused on protecting New Yorkers.”