The US Appeals Court ruled that a federal law banning gun sales to adults under 21 is unconstitutional, citing Second Amendment rights. The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to New York’s firearms restrictions, which were adopted following a landmark ruling in 2022 that expanded gun rights. The dispute centered on New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act, which imposed certain licensing requirements and restrictions on carrying firearms in sensitive locations.
The law defined a requirement for firearm license applicants to have “good moral character” and prohibited carrying firearms in various sensitive locations. The plaintiffs sued, challenging the law, but the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals largely reversed the lower court’s decision.
The plaintiffs argued that the court should only consider historical sources from 1791 when searching for analogues for gun restrictions, not later sources from 1868. The Supreme Court has previously upheld regulations targeting ghost guns and restricting gun possession for individuals under domestic violence restraining orders.
Despite expanding gun rights, the Supreme Court has shown a willingness to allow some limits on firearms. The ongoing debate over how historical sources should inform gun restrictions continues, with the Supreme Court playing a key role in interpreting the Second Amendment in the context of evolving gun laws.
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