US Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii limits on guns in public

US Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii limits on guns in publicImage source, Getty ImagesBySareen HabeshianPublished10 minutes agoThe US Supreme Court has struck down a rule Hawaii that barred gun owners from carrying handguns on publicly accessible private property.In a 6-3 decision on Thursday, the court sided with gun owners who argued the restriction on where they can carry firearms violates the Second Amendment - the constitutional right to bear arms.The justices found that a federal appeal courts erred in affirming the state can prohibit those with concealed-carry permits from having handguns in places like restaurants and malls unless given permission by the property owner.The ruling impacts a handful of US states, as law in most of the country allows those with a permit to carry a firearm on private property.Left-leaning states like California, New York, New Jersey and Maryland have similar laws to Hawaii's, which was dubbed a "vampire rule" as it required people with guns to get permission to enter an establishment.Carrying a gun without consent has until now been a misdemeanor in Hawaii, punishable by up to one year in prison.Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the ruling: "The effect of this new rule is to impose severe restrictions on the daily activities of residents who have satisfied the state's rigorous requirements for the issuance of a carry permit."He added that "this regime hobbles what the Second Amendment protects: the right of Americans to carry arms for self-defense as they go about their daily lives. We hold that the law is unconstitutional."The Supreme Court's three liberal justices dissented.Thursday's ruling does not impact other restrictions Hawaii has placed on guns in places like bars, beaches or parks, or sensitive locations like schools or government buildings, according to media partner CBS.The case stems from from a dispute in 2023, when three state residents and the Hawaii Fir...