Supremes Shoot Down Massachusetts Gun Control Law
The U.S. Supreme Court has shot down a Massachusetts gun control law, overturning a lower court’s approval and returning it to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for a determination that aligns with the high court’s recent precedents.
Fox News reported the state law imposed severe restrictions on the ability to purchase – or even have – handguns.
The report explained among the state requirements was the purchase of a license in order to possess a pistol.
“The law also includes a lifetime ban on purchasing handguns on anyone convicted of a nonviolent misdemeanor involving the possession or use of guns,” Fox said.
Originally, a trial court found the law constitutional, but the Supreme Court this week ordered that decision to be ignored, and said the case should return to the 1st Circuit “for further consideration in light of New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen.”
That result ended up with the rejection of a similarly restrictive New York law demanding people demonstrate “proper cause” if they wanted to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights to a concealed handgun permit.
“The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not ‘a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees,’” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the 6-3 majority at the time. “We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need.”
Fox News reported the state law imposed severe restrictions on the ability to purchase – or even have – handguns.
The report explained among the state requirements was the purchase of a license in order to possess a pistol.
“The law also includes a lifetime ban on purchasing handguns on anyone convicted of a nonviolent misdemeanor involving the possession or use of guns,” Fox said.
Originally, a trial court found the law constitutional, but the Supreme Court this week ordered that decision to be ignored, and said the case should return to the 1st Circuit “for further consideration in light of New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen.”
That result ended up with the rejection of a similarly restrictive New York law demanding people demonstrate “proper cause” if they wanted to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights to a concealed handgun permit.
“The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not ‘a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees,’” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the 6-3 majority at the time. “We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need.”
70-79, M
