WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a New York gun control law enacted in the wake of a landmark high court ruling in June that dramatically expanded the right to carry guns outside the home to remain in effect while a challenge continues. law against you. .
The magistrates held in abeyance the ruling of a federal judge who invalidated several provisions of the law. An appeals court had previously blocked the ruling pending further litigation. The decision suggests that judges will wait before intervening as lower courts interpret their June ruling, which for the first time found that people have the right to bear arms outside their own homes under the Second Amendment of the Constitution.
There were no public dissenting votes, but Conservative Justice Samuel Alito said in a statement attached to the brief order, joined by fellow Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, that the decision does not «express any opinion on the merits of the case» and the challengers «. must not be deterred».
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, welcomed the decision, saying in a statement that state law would protect people.
“We believe that these sensible and well thought out regulations will help prevent gun violence,” he said.
Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America, a gun rights group involved in the challenge, said in a statement that while he wanted the law blocked, Alito’s statement was «incredibly reassuring» as he suggested that the Supreme Court is set to intervene at a later date.
U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby, in a Nov. 7 ruling, struck down a number of provisions of the law, including one that prohibits firearms in a wide range of «sensitive locations,» such as health care facilities, churches , parks, entertainment venues and other places where people gather. He also blocked a provision that requires gun owners to demonstrate “good moral character” to obtain a license, and another that Suddaby said was a complete ban on firearms in private property open to the public.
The challenge was submitted by Ivan Antonyuk and five other people who say they would like to take firearms outside the home.
New York state lawmakers passed their law banning firearms in many public places and toughening permit requirements in July, after the Supreme Court’s June ruling struck down a century-old provision in New York. York that required gun owners who wanted to carry firearms outside their homes to prove that they have a unique need for self-defense.
The new law, called the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, also includes provisions that require applicants to provide character references, contact information for family members and people they live with, and information about their social media accounts.
Several gun owners have challenged the provisions of the law, and three federal district courts have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. In each case, the New York-based US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit allowed the law to remain in effect on all pending appeals.