The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 6-3 to strike down a 111-year-old gun safety law which required New York gun owners to prove “proper cause'' before carrying a concealed weapon.
The decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen restricts the ability of states and local governments to set their own gun safety policies.
Justice Clarence Thomas authored the opinion of the conservative majority, grounding his decision on a literal interpretation of the text. Thomas claims that the right to “bear [arms] naturally encompasses public carry.”
Indiana University professor and former Fort Wayne mayor Paul Helmke disagrees with this interpretation.
“What he ignores is that the phrase ‘keep and bear arms’ is actually a military phrase that refers to a group. A militia, for example,” says Helmke.
As a longtime advocate for gun reform, Hemke worries that Bruen might be a watershed moment.
“The court said that they’re going to start looking at the Second Amendment differently,” says Helmke. “The ruling yesterday in the Bruen case for the first time ever extended the Second Amendment right outside of the home. When the Supreme Court says you can now take guns into public, and that states are limited in how they can restrict that, then you start putting everybody else at risk. That’s why it’s a significant decision that does concern me quite a bit.”
While the case could have an impact on the six other states that require an application to obtain a concealed carry permit, it’s unlikely to affect Indiana. The state legislature passed House Bill 1296 in March, allowing most adults to carry handguns publicly without a permit or license.
The Supreme Court ruling coincides with the Senate passing the first bipartisan gun control bill in 30 years. It also follows two major mass shootings in the previous month.
