### SCOTUS Declines Appeal Against Maryland's Ban on Assault-Style Weapons

In a critical ruling today, the Supreme Court denied an appeal from gun-rights proponents challenging Maryland’s prohibition on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines, a move hailed by gun safety advocates. The decision maintains the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals' ruling that the state’s laws, which were instituted following the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2013, are constitutional.

Maryland's legislation specifically targets the AR-15 rifle, a popular choice among Americans, with an estimated 20-30 million in circulation across the country. Despite its prevalence, the AR-15 remains legally accessible in 41 states. However, Maryland’s toughest stance on such firearms forms part of a broader effort to reduce gun violence, which state officials believe has shown positive results.

Three justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas, expressed their disagreement with the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case, underscoring the significance of the AR-15 to millions of Americans. "I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America," Justice Thomas emphasized, noting the importance of this issue to law-abiding AR-15 owners nationwide.

Although Justice Brett Kavanaugh sided with the court's majority to uphold Maryland’s law for the time being, he labeled the appeals court's decision as "questionable" and predicted that the Supreme Court would likely tackle the AR-15's legality within the "next term or two."

In the interim, Maryland officials attribute a decline in gun violence to stringent measures restricting access to dangerous weapons. Recent laws enacted in 2022 and 2023 focus particularly on gun kits, imposing federal, state, and local limitations that curb the online sale of untraceable firearms. These measures mandate background checks, age verification for buyers, and, in some cases, ban specific kit sales altogether.

Despite the Supreme Court's generally conservative leanings which have seen a broadening of gun ownership rights in past rulings, the Court has recently upheld certain longstanding restrictions. Notably, in June 2024, the Court sustained a prohibition on firearm purchases and possession for individuals under domestic violence restraining orders. This year, it also upheld federal regulations on ghost guns, emphasizing a nuanced approach to Second Amendment interpretations.