The US Supreme Court ruled against the state of Hawaii on Thursday, June 25, striking down a law requiring gun owners to get permission to bring firearms into private shops and businesses. In a 6-3 ruling, the Court sided with gun-rights advocates, who said the island state’s restrictions effectively “eviscerated” the Second Amendment.
Private property owners absolutely do have the right to deny people from carrying a firearm onto their property – but the standard status quo in most places is that such restriction must be imposed by the property owner, not assumed. Hawaii’s law required owners of private businesses to grant permission first – meaning that if someone carried a firearm into a store without the owner’s permission, it would be a criminal act regardless of how the owner feels about firearms in general. Essentially, Hawaii took what was effectively an “opt-out” rule and made it “opt-in,” which is a far greater change than it may seem at first glance.
Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinion, while Justice Amy Coney Barret authored a concurring opinion joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch. Justice Elena Kagan authored a dissent, as did Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
You can read the ruling – including all four opinions – here:
