Supreme Court Strikes Down Hawaii Gun Permit Requirement

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Hawaii cannot require licensed gun owners to obtain express permission before carrying a legally permitted firearm into a restaurant or hardware store. The case, Wolford v. Lopez, centered on state rules that limited where individuals with carry permits could bring firearms.

Hawaii maintained that such locations required prior approval. The court held that the Second Amendment does not permit the state to impose that requirement.

Hawaii had maintained that licensed carriers needed express permission to bring firearms into certain businesses. The policy applied to restaurants and hardware stores among other locations. The legal challenge argued that the restriction conflicted with constitutional protections for lawful carry.

The Supreme Court sided with the challengers and struck down the permission requirement. The ruling applies to the specific locations named in the case. No further proceedings were described in the immediate coverage of the decision.