The Second Amendment
The Second Amendment circa 1789...
The Second Amendment circa 2022...
The Second Amendment states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
For further information, the National Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution offers a common interpretation of the Second Amendment.
In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep a gun in the home for self-defense; in 2010, the ruling in McDonald v. City of Chicago confirmed that states must also respect that right. In the 12 years since the McDonald ruling, the Court has said little else regarding the Second Amendment. Today, questions around the Second Amendment include bans on assault weapons, mandatory background checks, waiting periods, and other restrictions on gun sales or use. The case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen is currently before the US Supreme Court and begs the question of whether New York’s law requiring that applicants for unrestricted concealed-carry licenses demonstrate a special need for self-defense violates the Second Amendment. The decision in this case has the ability to alter gun-control laws in states and cities across the country.
For more information regarding the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, check out the SCOTUSblog article previewing the case.