- Court refuses case challenging 2013 Maryland assault weapons law
- 4 conservative justices signal openness to future challenges
- 11 states currently enforce similar military-style firearm restrictions
- Federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004 after decade in effect
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to avoid reviewing Maryland's assault weapons ban leaves intact one of the nation's strictest firearm laws while revealing deepening ideological fractures. Enacted following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre that claimed 26 lives, the Maryland statute prohibits 45 types of semi-automatic rifles and mandates fingerprinting for handgun buyers. Legal analysts note this marks the fourteenth consecutive lower court ruling upholding such bans since 2008.
Justice Clarence Thomas joined three colleagues in suggesting the Court should reconsider what constitutes armsunder the Second Amendment. This judicial tension coincides with evolving state strategies: California recently expanded its assault weapons registry requirements, while Texas implemented tax breaks for firearm safety equipment manufacturers. The patchwork regulatory landscape has increased compliance costs 18% for multi-state firearms retailers since 2020 according to ATF data.
New York's experience demonstrates the enforcement challenges. Despite banning AR-15 sales in 2013, the state reported 423 confiscations of prohibited weapons from 2018-2022 – 73% traced to interstate trafficking. Mayor Eric Adams recently allocated $14 million for specialized police units targeting illegal modifications that convert legal rifles into banned configurations.
The expired federal assault weapons ban (1994-2004) remains a legislative flashpoint. FBI data shows mass shooting fatalities decreased 37% during the federal prohibition period, though academic studies debate causation. Modern proposals face new complexities with 42% of U.S. gun owners now reporting AR-platform rifle ownership, per Pew Research.
Second Amendment advocates are shifting strategies following this decision. The National Shooting Sports Foundation recently filed suits in three states challenging ammunition restrictions rather than firearm bans directly. Meanwhile, March for Our Lives plans voter initiatives in five states to expand assault weapon prohibitions through ballot measures.