Texas-Book-Gun Law Armed And Educated - Flipbook - Page 20
open the possibility that some gun regulations could pass muster
without spelling out the criteria for constitutionality. Overall, these
regulations can be generalized into three major archetypes: those
that impose registration requirements on firearms or their owners,
those that ban certain types of firearms or firearm accessories, and
those that prohibit the carrying of firearms in public (be it through
impossible-to-obtain licensing schemes, or piecemeal prohibition).
The sheer volume of such cases allowing the erosion of the Second
Amendment is alarming, but not as alarming as how many are
denied certiorari.
In the years since McDonald, there have been more than 75 U.S.
Circuit Court opinions upholding state restrictions on the Second
Amendment that the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review.
These restrictions include requiring the registration of firearms,
prohibiting “large capacity” magazines, banning certain firearms
as “assault rifles,” and creating classes of individuals who are
restricted from owning firearms. In 2021, the Supreme Court
refused to hear almost all Second Amendment challenges to state
and local gun laws. However, the Court agreed to review New
York State’s restrictions on issuing handgun carry permits in New
York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, Docket No. 20843, argued November 3, 2021. The decision in the New York case
could have wide-reaching implications with “may issue” licensing
states; stay tuned.
III. MAJOR FIREARMS STATUTES EVERY GUN OWNER NEEDS
TO KNOW
At the federal level, there are plenty of laws and regulations that
concern firearms, but this section will focus on some of the more
major legislative actions that all gun owners need to know.
Brief Legal History Of The Right To Bear Arms And The Laws Regulating Firearms | 9
