After resisting a Supreme Court gun rights ruling for almost two weeks, the blue state of Maryland will stop enforcing its tough concealed carry handgun permitting rule because it violates the U.S. Constitution, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said on July 5.
On June 23, the Supreme Court struck down a New York law and recognized a constitutional right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The decision undermines concealed carry laws in states that require permit applicants to demonstrate a special self-defense-related need to carry in public. The court subsequently reversed federal appeals court decisions that upheld gun restrictions in Maryland, California, New Jersey, and Hawaii, sending the cases back to the lower courts for a second look. Courts will find it difficult to uphold the firearms laws in question.
