Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenges to Gun Laws in Delaware and Maryland
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear challenges to gun control laws in Delaware and Maryland, leaving intact a number of gun control laws that activists believe to be unconstitutional.
The court opted not to take up an appeal from pro-Second Amendment groups in Delaware seeking to block the state’s ban on semi-automatic “assault” rifles and magazines that hold more than 17 rounds. The law, enacted in 2022, allows those who already own such firearms to keep them under specific conditions, but prohibits future sales or transfers, according to Reuters. A lower court had previously declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the law.
Similarly, the court declined to hear an appeal from the group Maryland Shall Issue and other plaintiffs challenging Maryland’s handgun licensing requirements. The state mandates that individuals complete safety training, submit fingerprints, and pass a background check before purchasing a handgun. Opponents argued that these measures, which “can take a month or longer” to fulfill, deters people from purchasing and possessing firearms. Maryland has defended the law, emphasizing its “significant public safety benefits.”
The decisions reflect the conservative court’s general hesitance to take up gun-related cases, despite its landmark 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, which expanded gun rights by striking down New York’s restrictions on carrying firearms in public.
However, the court has shown interest in select firearm-related issues. In October, the justices heard arguments concerning a Biden administration regulation targeting “ghost guns” — non-serialized firearms assembled from kits — with a decision expected by June. Additionally, the court last year ruled against a federal ban on “bump stocks,” declaring the ban to be unconstitutional.
