"Can I get a Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permit in Maryland?" : The US Supreme Court's ruling and what it means for Marylanders

• Posted on 24 June 2022
• By Chuck Early
• Posted in 2nd Amendment, CCW, concealed carry, good and substantial, permit, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
• 0

On Thursday, June 23, 2022, the SCOTUS issued a ruling that will likely change the availability and ease of obtaining a Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permit in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

INTRODUCTION 

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled on June 23, 2022 that it is unconstitutional for states to deny law-abiding citizens the right to obtain a Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permit. So everyone in Maryland can run out and get their permit today,...right? Well,...that’s not quite the case. 

CONCEALED CARRY OR CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY 

According to the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) there are now 25 states that allow Constitutional Carry. That means that law-abiding citizens in those states are permitted to carry a firearm openly without the need of a permit. 17 states have a Right To Carry, meaning that law-abiding citizens are able to obtain a Carry permit (usually a CCW permit). And as of the date of this writing there are 8 states that are considered a May-Issue state. (Maryland, California, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Massachusetts.) That means that a law-abiding citizen in those states may (or may not) be issued a CCW permit, based mostly on the citizens expressed need for a CCW permit and if that reason falls within a set of specific parameters.

Well, since the latest SCOTUS ruling on June 23, 2022 things are about to change for the May-Issue states.  

AN EDICT FROM ON HIGH 

A New York case was presented to the SCOTUS to challenge the constitutionality of the requirement of CCW permit applicants to show a “good cause” for wanting/needing to obtain the permit. Attorney on behalf of the State of New York contended that the 2nd Amendment only guaranteed a citizens’ right to “bear” arms inside the home, as had been ruled on in a previous 2008 SCOTUS case (District of Columbia v. Heller). In the present case, the SCOTUS’ lengthy 63 page opinion (135 if you count concurring and dissenting opinions of the other justices), given by justice Clarence Thomas the court ruled that the requirement was unconstitutional and violated citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights. 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 

Since the language of the laws in each of the 8 May-Issue states are nearly identical the SCOTUS ruling will affect the laws in all 8 states. However, the wheels of bureaucracy are slow to move. The laws in each state have to be re-written by the state legislature. And no doubt that most (if not all) of these 8 states will work very diligently to carefully craft the new law so that they abide by the latest SCOTUS ruling but not afford the citizen any more freedom than they absolutely have to.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said his office will examine the ruling to determine its impact.

"Today's decision means more deaths and more pain in a country already awash in gun violence. If the norm is that people can carry firearms, our neighborhoods, our streets and other public places will become more dangerous. It will make the lives of law enforcement more difficult and more perilous. The epidemic of gun violence sweeping our nation demonstrates daily the folly of introducing more guns into the boiling cauldron," Frosh said.

Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, said the court's decision was the "wrong answer." "We will be reviewing the opinion and, if necessary, pass legislation that protect Marylanders and complies with this brand-new precedent," the lawmakers said.

Former Attorney General Doug Gansler, currently seeking election as Maryland's next governor, said the decision will have a negative impact on Maryland.

"We cannot hand out conceal-carry permits like candy. If and when Maryland's law is struck down, every Tom, Dick or Harry who feels like toting a gun in public will be empowered to do so," Gansler said. "Make no mistake: that means there will be more guns on our streets, and more guns in the hands of people who shouldn't have them."

Fortunately for the law-abiding citizen who wants to be able to protect themselves there are honorable and hardworking politicians and gun rights groups that need your support.  

Politicians like Maryland State Delegate Mark Fisher, who is seeking re-election this fall, had this to say:

“The 2nd Amendment is listed under the Bill of Rights. If the 2nd Amendment were meaningless, then it would be called the Bill of Maybes. It is not. Thomas Jefferson said it best, in his letter to James Maddison: What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms.”

Gun Rights Groups like the 2nd Amendment Foundation (SAF) who’s mission is “dedicated to promoting a better understanding about our constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms.” The SAF was also one of the gun rights groups that helped bring the New York case to the SCOTUS.  

SAF Executive Vice President, Alan Gottlieb, had this to say about the recent SCOTUS decision:

“We are gratified that the high court has said there can be no bureaucratic prerequisite to exercising one’s constitutionally-protected right to bear arms,”. “For too many generations, New York’s requirement has been the vehicle by which the constitutional rights of average law-abiding citizens have been deprived under color of law.” 

The Maryland Shall Issue (MSI) organization, whose mission is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of gun-owner's rights in Maryland. Even the group’s namesake speaks to the current decision by the SCOTUS. The group not only argues against anti-gun rights legislation in the State of Maryland, but they also provide legal assistance and council in a number of cases all across the State of Maryland where gun-rights are being challenged. 

WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR MY CCW PERMIT? 

Since the SCOTUS has ruled that the “good cause” requirement to obtain a permit is unconstitutional we can expect that a major change is coming in the 8 “May-Issue” states. How long that change will take, or what the new law may look like will take a little bit of time to sort out. So there really is no way of telling when law-abiding citizens will be able to apply for their CCW permits, but we know that it will be soon. Until then remember your pro-gun politicians on election day, and sign-up for a membership with a pro-gun rights group. They all definitely need our thanks and our support! 

WILL YOU BE APPLYING FOR YOUR CCW PERMIT? 

Let us know in the comments. We can help you with the safety training requirements of obtaining your CCW permit.  

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