Justices to decide whether states can block lawful carry on private property without owner consent.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Wolford v. Lopez, a landmark challenge to Hawaii’s restrictive gun carry law.
The rule in question bars licensed gun owners from carrying on private property unless the owner explicitly gives permission — a policy that effectively turns most of the state into a “no-carry” zone.
The case could become one of the most consequential Second Amendment battles since the Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, which reaffirmed that gun laws must align with the nation’s historical traditions.
Lower courts have struggled to interpret Bruen, leading to conflicting rulings on where and how Americans may lawfully carry firearms.
Supporters of Hawaii’s law argue that property rights allow business owners to decide who may enter armed.
But gun rights advocates say the state’s rule flips Constitutional rights upside down — presuming every private space off-limits unless told otherwise.
They warn that such laws are designed to undermine Bruen and strip away the practical ability of citizens to exercise their right to self-defense.
The Supreme Court’s decision, expected next year, could determine whether states can use property regulations as a backdoor to limit the right to bear arms.
If the justices strike down Hawaii’s policy, it would mark a major victory for gun owners nationwide and reaffirm that the Second Amendment doesn’t end at one’s doorstep.
According to Hannah Hill’s, Vice President of the National Foundation for Gun Rights, analysis on X, the National Association for Gun Rights will be filing a supporting brief in the lawsuit.
Read more at Politico.
