Maryland’s Latest Gun Control Law in Response to Supreme Court Ruling

Maryland’s Governor, Wes Moore, has signed a new law aimed at responding to a Supreme Court ruling that has transformed the gun control battle in the United States. The law includes measures to prevent someone from carrying a concealed handgun in designated areas such as schools and hospitals. However, it removes language that requires a person to show “good and substantial reason” to carry a concealed firearm outside of the home, which could be challenged under a recent Supreme Court ruling. The Maryland state law is the latest response to last June’s Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, which challenged a New York state law requiring gun owners to prove they had a special need to carry a firearm in public. The court ultimately deemed New York’s law unconstitutional, saying the right to carry a gun extends beyond the home. The ruling has since been used to curtail other gun control measures around the US. The new law, which takes effect on October 1, includes certain exceptions for military members, law enforcement, and security guards.