The United States Supreme Court will review a long standing New York gun law that has strict limits on carrying firearms outside of the home.
The court took on a New York City law that allowed residents to take guns to shooting ranges within the city but were not allowed to take them to ranges or other homes outside of the city limits.
It will be the first major Second Amendment hearing for the new court, and the first in over a decade.
A pair of men who were denied licenses and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association are challenging the law. They say the law makes it almost impossible to get a license.
It’s now up to the court to decide if New York is violating the Second Amendment by not allowing them to get a license
New York is not the only state that has similar laws when it comes to self-defense carrying. California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island have similar rulings.
The Supreme Court has shot down numerous appeals of the 2nd Amendment since it announced an individual right to keep guns for self defense.
That decision came in 2008 in the District of Columbia vs. Heller.
The court has a history of sustaining current gun laws. However, this court is split of whether or not they want states controlling individuals from carrying guns outside of their house for self defense.
Republican backed court members are now in control, three of appointed by President Trump. All have supported expanded gun rights.
Political divide
President Biden, meanwhile, is trying to crack down on certain firearms slowly. For instance, he has proposed that the Justice Department require serial numbers on firearms assembled from kits, known as “ghost guns.”
He also appointed David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Chipman is a supporter of tighter gun restrictions.
Chipman is the first permanent director since 2015.
It’s difficult to say where this can go based on other government decisions. The House of Representatives passed two gun control laws but they are drowning in a Senate that needs 10 Republicans to cross the aisle in support.
In Hawaii, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit voted in favor 7-4 to keep their current self-defense laws. But in Illinois and Washington D.C., federal appeals courts have struck down restrictive gun laws.
The latest two appointees to the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, both favor of loosening restrictions.
