Supreme Court voids Hawaii private-property gun-permit law in 6-3 ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Hawaii law that barred people from carrying guns on private property without the owner's express permission. The 6-3 decision in Wolford v Lopez overturned statutes in Hawaii, California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey.

Ruling details The decision follows the 2022 Bruen precedent, which requires modern gun laws to have a historical counterpart from the nation's founding era. The court ruled that states cannot set the default rule banning firearms on private property.

Individual property owners retain the right to prohibit guns on their premises. The ruling does not affect laws that bar firearms from designated sensitive public places such as schools, parks and libraries.

Reactions and next steps Gun-rights organizations described the outcome as another step toward removing restrictions they view as inconsistent with historical practice. Gun-control groups said the decision elevates gun-owner rights over public-safety considerations.

Business owners operating malls and stores open to the public now face the task of posting explicit policies if they wish to restrict firearms, according to legal experts. The same experts noted that the decision is the second firearms ruling this month based on the Bruen standard.