The US Supreme Court has struck down a restrictive gun law in Hawaii that limited the ability of individuals to carry firearms on certain private properties. In a 6-3 vote, the court invalidated the restriction, which was known as the vampire rule.
The law previously prohibited concealed-carry permit holders from bringing firearms onto private property open to the public, such as shops, gas stations, restaurants, and shopping malls, without the express permission of the property owner. Under the new ruling, people can carry guns onto these privately owned properties unless the owners specifically state that firearms are banned at their establishments.
Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinion, which was supported by the court's rightwing supermajority, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote the dissent. This decision strengthens the constitutional right to carry a gun and is expected to impact laws in several states, including Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and California.