The Supreme Court will not review Maryland’s handgun licensing law, a decision praised by state officials as a win for public safety.
Baltimore: So, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to take on a case about handgun licensing in Maryland. This is a big deal for the state.
Maryland’s Attorney General, Anthony Brown, is pretty happy about it. He believes this law helps keep guns out of the hands of people who might cause harm. He said it’s a crucial step in fighting gun violence.
The case was brought by a gun-rights group called Maryland Shall Issue. They argued that the licensing requirements go against the Second Amendment. They initially filed the lawsuit against former Governor Larry Hogan back in 2017.
The law in question was signed in 2013 and requires folks to submit fingerprints, pass a background check, and complete a training course before they can buy a handgun. Plus, you can’t sell or give a gun to someone without a license.
Only people 21 and older can apply for this handgun qualification license, which is issued by the Maryland State Police. Applicants need to pass a safety course and a background check to make sure they’re eligible.
The review process for applications can take up to 30 days. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld this law after a previous ruling deemed part of it unconstitutional.
Mark Pennak from Maryland Shall Issue mentioned they plan to keep fighting for their cause. They see this as just one battle in a larger war over gun laws. They’re waiting to see what happens next with other firearm policy cases.
