US Supreme Court justices appear likely to strike down a Hawaii law requiring permission to carry firearms on private property open to the public.
WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court appeared likely to strike down a Hawaii law banning firearms on private property open to the public.
A majority of justices on the conservative-dominated court seemed skeptical of the state law during arguments on Tuesday.
The law requires a gun owner with a concealed carry permit to get explicit permission from a private property owner before entering their establishment.
“Our national tradition is that people are allowed to carry on private property that is open to the public,” argued Alan Beck, an attorney for gun owners challenging the law.
Justice Samuel Alito told Hawaii’s lawyer the law was “relegating the Second Amendment to second-class status.”
Four other Democratic-ruled states have similar laws pitting property rights against gun owners’ rights.
Justice Neil Gorsuch dismissed suggestions the case was only about property rights.
“We don’t allow governments to redefine property rights in other contexts that would infringe other constitutional rights,” Gorsuch said.
The Justice Department is backing the challenge, arguing the law turns public property “into the equivalent of someone’s house.”
Arguing for Hawaii, Neal Katyal said the case involves “two fundamental rights, the right to bear arms and the property right to exclude.”
“The Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms,” Katyal said. “It doesn’t create implied consent to bring arms onto another’s property.”
The Supreme Court expanded gun rights in a landmark 2022 ruling and has been generally sympathetic to gun owners.
The court is expected to rule in the case by the end of June or early July.
