Supreme Court appears likely to strike down California law banning guns in stores and restaurants
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The Supreme Court is reviewing laws from California, Hawaii, and three other states that prohibit licensed gun owners from carrying loaded firearms into private businesses without owner consent, with the Trump administration urging the court to strike down these laws as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
- State officials argue these laws protect property rights and public safety, noting that business owners rarely post signs about firearm policies, while gun-rights advocates contend the laws nullify the right to carry firearms in public places like stores and restaurants.
- The justices appear divided along ideological lines: conservative justices emphasize the right to carry firearms in public for self-defense, comparing it to First Amendment rights, while liberal justices prioritize property rights and question whether the Second Amendment guarantees entry to private property with guns
