Federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocks part of new state law restricting where gun owners can carry

A federal judge in Maryland on Friday temporarily blocked part of a new state law that would restrict where gun owners can carry. 

U.S. District Judge George Russell III, an Obama appointee, ruled the state can’t ban guns in places where alcohol is sold, on private property without permission of the owner or at public demonstrations. 

The legislation is set to take effect Sunday. 

The judge’s ruling came after the law, which was a response to a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended a requirement to show a need for a license to carry a concealed gun in public and led to more permits, was challenged by the NRA, Firearms Policy Coalition and state gun rights groups. 

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Russell kept the bans on areas that could be considered “sensitive places” like schools, museums, state parks and mass transit. 

He based his decision on the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that limited New York gun legislation and said judges should look to historical legislation on gun restrictions for guidance. 

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“While the NRA is pleased with the partial win, we will be continuing our challenges to the other so-called sensitive places that the court declined to enjoin,” Randy Kozuch, executive director of the NRA-ILA, told the Washington Post. 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in part his administration remains “committed to working vigorously with the state legislature, community leaders and all advocates to continue to bring down the scourge of gun violence,” according to FOX 5. 

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The governor signed the legislation in May. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

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