Supreme Court strikes down New York gun law, may impact other states

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court says a more than 100-year-old New York concealed-carry law is unconstitutional. Gun rights advocates hail the decision as a win while some lawmakers say this means it’s going to be harder to keep people safe.

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) said the decision is ‘frightful in its scope’ and called the language shocking. Hochul said, “the Supreme Court of the United States of America has stripped away the State of New York’s right and responsibility to protect its citizens.”

In a statement, National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said, “today’s ruling is a watershed win for good men and women all across America and is the result of a decades-long fight the NRA has led. The right to self-defense and to defend your family and loved ones should not end at your home.”

George Washington University Law professor Paul Schiff Berman said in 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment gives individuals the right to bear arms. He said some governments took that to mean in a person’s own home.

Schiff Berman said, “this is a case where the court said no no no, the Second Amendment provides a right to bear arms even in the public arena.”

He said the ruling affects New York’s law directly. The professor said that eight other states and the District of Columbia have similar laws which could also be affected.