US top court allows New York to keep gun law in place for now

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Supreme Court allowed the US state of New York on Wednesday to continue enforcing new concealed firearms restrictions while appeals play out.

The brief opinion rejected an emergency request from Gun Owners of America, the gun rights group which filed the suit, to overturn a lower court's opinion allowing the enforcement of the law.

The Manhattan-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the law to be enforced in December, overturning a lower district court ruling that threw it out.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas wrote in a brief statement that the law "presents novel and serious questions under both the First and the Second Amendments." They maintained that the decision does not indicate the court's opinion as to the "merits of the case."

"Applicants should not be deterred by today’s order from again seeking relief if the Second Circuit does not, within a reasonable time, provide an explanation for its stay order or expedite consideration of the appeal," they wrote.

The law, known as the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, went into effect last summer after the Supreme Court overturned New York's restrictions on carrying a handgun outside of the household. The act places a series of restrictions on carrying concealed firearms, prohibits guns in sensitive areas, and requires individuals with concealed carry permits to request a property owner's consent to bring their firearm with them.

New York Attorney General Letitia James lauded the court's decision, saying the state has "a right to enact commonsense measures to protect our communities."

"Too many New Yorkers are plagued by gun violence, and we know that basic gun laws help save lives every day. My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect New Yorkers and defend our responsible gun laws," she said in a statement.