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Jun 25, 2026

Supreme Court rolls back limits on carrying guns on private property open to public

Supreme Court rolls back limits on carrying guns on private property open to public

Gun control advocates argue such measures are necessary for public safety.

ByDevin DwyerJune 25, 2026, 11:52 AM

    The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Hawaii law that prohibits the carry of a firearm onto private property that is open to the public unless the property owner gives express consent. 

    In a 6-3 decision by Justice Samuel Alito, the court's conservative majority said the law imposed "severe restrictions on the daily activities" of lawful gun owners in violation of the Second Amendment.

    "Rather than allowing all to enter private property open to the public unless specifically prohibited, these new laws provided that no one carrying a firearm may enter without express authorization," Alito wrote. 

    "The Hawaii law at issue here violates the constitutional right to keep and bear arms," the opinion said. 

    RelatedSupreme Court allows some marijuana users to own guns, limiting federal gun ban

    The ruling, which likely also invalidates similar laws in California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey, is a setback for gun control advocates that had argued the measures were necessary for public safety in places like shopping malls, bars, restaurants, theaters, farms, arenas and private beaches. 

    Hawaii had argued that there is no such thing as a right to armed entry onto private property without consent, pointing to a handful of historical examples of similar laws since America's founding. 

    Exterior view of the U.S. Supreme Court Building, June 22, 2026 in Washington.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

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