GOA, GOF File Petition with SCOTUS in NY Concealed Carry Lawsuit

By Walter Smoloski

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 20, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Today, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) petitioned for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court in their challenge to New York’s mistakenly named “Concealed Carry Improvement Act.”

This sweeping law was passed in Albany after the Supreme Court rebuked the state’s may-issue concealed carry permitting scheme. But frustratingly, this new statute is more onerous and restrictive than the one overturned in the Bruen decision.

GOA quickly challenged this new law after its passage in federal court, where Judge Glenn Suddaby repeatedly sided with GOA by blocking several of its major provisions. Frustratingly, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals was eager to intervene on behalf of anti-gunners, keeping much of the challenged law in place, which has led to today’s filing with the Supreme Court.

The law’s provisions that are still in effect require applicants for a concealed carry license to:

Display “good moral character”
Have in person interviews with law enforcement
Provide four “character references”
Undergo 18 hours of combined training, a tremendous increase from the existing 4-hour requirement

Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, issued the following statement: 

“New York politicians just couldn’t help themselves when they quickly doubled down with their unconstitutional edicts following the Bruen decision. I’m incredibly confident the

Source: Gun Owners of America