THE US Supreme Court has struck down a New York law that required "proper cause" in order to receive a license to concealed carry, sparking anti-gun demonstrations.
The ruling, which is expected to affect nearly one-quarter of the US population, had been in place for over a century before it was overturned Thursday in a 6-3 vote.
This historical ruling comes days after a group of senators reached an agreement on new gun safety legislation that encourages "red flag" laws and enhanced background checks.
In a statement regarding the recent overturning, President Joe Biden said he was "deeply disappointed."
The president said the ruling "contradicts both common sense and the Constitution, and should deeply trouble us all."
The decision greatly increased the amount of New York residents who are eligible to potentially concealed carry.
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The law previously required citizens to show proper cause or an actual need to carry a handgun in public for self-defense.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that overturning the law protects, "an individual's right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home."
"We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need," Thomas wrote, according to the AP.
Other states that have similar laws are California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
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These laws are expected to be quickly challenged.
Governor Kathy Hochul, elected Democrat, spoke out against the ruling in the wake of the Buffalo supermarket shooting.
"This decision isn't just reckless. It's reprehensible," Hochul said.
"It's not what New Yorkers want."
However, other Republican elected officials lauded the ruling.
Tom King, president of the plaintiff New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said he was relieved after the decision.
"The lawful and legal gun owner of New York State is no longer going to be persecuted by laws that have that have nothing to do with the safety of the people and will do nothing to make the people safer," King said.
"And maybe no we'll start going after criminals and perpetrators of these heinous acts."
This comes after members of the Senate reached an agreement and announced a new framework for gun control on June 12.
“Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country," the group said in a statement, via NBC News.
"Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities."
Sen. Chris Murphy and Sen. John Cornyn add that the new measures "won’t affect the gun rights of law-abiding Americans," according to NBC News.
“Our plan increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons,” the statement continues.
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“Most importantly, our plan saves lives while also protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law.”
The new legislation comes amid several mass shootings in 2022 alone, including the school shooting at Robb Elementary that took the lives of 19 students and two teachers, as well as the deadly Tops Supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York, that took the lives of 10 people.
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