Maryland passed a strict gun licensing law after Sandy Hook. An appeals court just struck it down
By Josh Campbell, CNN
Updated: 9:16 AM EST, Wed November 22, 2023
Source: CNN
A federal appeals court struck down Maryland’s licensing requirements for handgun owners Tuesday, citing a 2022 landmark ruling by the conservative-majority US Supreme Court.
Maryland’s Firearm Safety Act of 2013, passed in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, was deemed unconstitutional in the 2-1 ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.
At issue were key components of the state law, which imposes strict standards to qualify for a license to own a handgun.
Tuesday’s ruling comes nearly 11 years after 20 children and six adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary and as the US remains gripped by an epidemic of deadly shootings. This year alone, more than 38,400 people have been killed by gun violence in a nation that has seen 612 mass shootings, per the Gun Violence Archive.
Under the Maryland law, an applicant for a handgun license must meet four requirements. They must be at least 21 years old, a resident of the state, complete a gun safety course and undergo a background check to ensure they are not barred under federal or state law from owning a firearm.
An applicant must then fill out an application, pay a processing fee, and wait up to 30 days for a state official to issue a license.
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