Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to Maryland assault weapons ban

The Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to State Ban on Assault Weapons

In a recent decision, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a state ban on assault weapons, specifically semiautomatic rifles that are popular among gun owners and have been used in multiple mass shootings. The case was brought against a Maryland law that was enacted in response to the tragic 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults lost their lives to a shooter armed with an AR-15, one of the firearms commonly categorized as an assault weapon.

While the majority of justices turned down the case, three conservative justices expressed their willingness to hear it, with a fourth justice indicating skepticism towards the constitutionality of such bans. This suggests that the court may revisit the issue in the near future. Several other states have similar bans in place, and Congressional Democrats have shown support for such measures. The challengers in the case argued for the constitutional right to own firearms like the AR-15.

This decision comes two years after a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that expanded Second Amendment rights and sparked challenges to firearm laws across the country. Currently, ten states and the District of Columbia have similar assault weapon bans, including major cities like New York and Los Angeles. It is worth noting that the national assault weapons ban expired in 2004, leaving the regulation of these firearms up to individual states.

As the debate over gun control continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court’s stance on assault weapon bans may shift in the future. Stay updated on the latest developments in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions and rulings by following the AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.