NRA promptly sues Maryland over new gun control laws

The National Rifle Association (NRA) promptly sued Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Tuesday, after he signed into law several new gun control measures.

The state arm of the NRA, the Maryland State Rifle & Pistol Association, alleged in the suit that the new laws violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments by placing “unconstitutional restrictions” on where Maryland citizens can carry a gun outside the home and how they can obtain a carry permit.

The lawsuit is challenging Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 824, both of which were signed by Moore on Tuesday, as well as pre-existing Maryland state laws.

The Gun Safety Act of 2023, or Senate Bill 1, restricts people from carrying guns in and around schools, health care facilities, government buildings, universities and stadiums, among other areas, while House Bill 824 created some additional requirements for obtaining a carry permit.

The NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action claimed in a press release on Tuesday that the measures make “carry[ing] illegal in so much of the state that a law-abiding individual cannot effectively carry for self-defense.”

The new measures come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling last June in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down a New York state law that required individuals to show “proper cause” to obtain a concealed carry permit.

Maryland had a similar requirement that individuals demonstrate a “good and substantial reason” for such a permit. However, the laws signed on Tuesday removed this language.

Moore touted the measures as “common sense gun safety legislation” after their signing.

“The gun safety measures I signed into law today will help keep our communities safe from gun crimes, support [the Maryland State Police] Gun Center to track & trace firearms used in crimes, and help get guns off our streets,” he tweeted. “We are taking action to build a safer, brighter future for Maryland.”