SAF and FPC Ask Supreme Court to Block Maryland's "Sensitive Places" Carry Ban
The Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court on May 27, 2026, asking the justices to review Maryland's post-Bruen "sensitive places" law that prohibits concealed carry in schools, government buildings, courthouses, hospitals, and other designated locations. The groups argue the sweeping restrictions violate the Second Amendment as interpreted in District of Columbia v. Heller and clarified in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. Maryland enacted the sensitive places statute in 2023 following the Supreme Court's decision that struck down New York's "may-issue" permitting scheme, making Maryland one of the first states to attempt a workaround through categorical location bans rather than discretionary licensing.
Background and Context
The Bruen decision in June 2022 established that gun regulations must be consistent with historical tradition and the Second Amendment's text and original meaning. The ruling eliminated the two-step test courts had used to uphold restrictions, replacing it with a straightforward constitutional analysis. States immediately sought alternatives to permitting schemes that gave officials discretion to deny carry licenses. Maryland's sensitive places law represents the most aggressive categorical approach: it permits concealed carry statewide with a license but carves out broad categories of locations. The statute bans carry in schools, courthouses, detention facilities, psychiatric facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, certain government buildings, and areas where firearms are explicitly prohibited by federal law. Gun-rights advocates argue these categorical bans fail Bruen's test because they lack historical analog and infringe on core Second Amendment rights in public spaces where self-defense is most needed.
What This Means for Gun Owners
Maryland gun owners currently cannot legally carry concealed firearms in any school building, any courthouse or related judicial facility, any correctional or detention center, any psychiatric or substance abuse treatment facility, any general hospital or psychiatric hospital, any nursing home, and any government building where the chief elected official has posted notice banning firearms. The law also bans carry in areas where federal law prohibits firearms. Gun owners in Maryland cannot carry at their children's schools, at government hearings or proceedings, or at most public health facilities. If the Supreme Court declines to hear the case or rules against the petitioners, Maryland's law stands as written. If the Court takes the case and rules that the sensitive places law violates the Second Amendment, Maryland gun owners gain immediate carry rights in those locations. The decision could affect similar laws in other states including California, New York, and Delaware that have enacted post-Bruen sensitive places restrictions.
Industry Impact
The SAF and FPC petition directly challenges Maryland's legislative response to Bruen, and a Supreme Court victory would invalidate the state's primary post-2022 gun control mechanism. The National Rifle Association has not filed its own petition on Maryland's sensitive places law but generally opposes categorical location bans. The Firearms Policy Coalition has made challenging state-level sensitive places laws a priority, viewing them as attempts to circumvent Bruen's core holding. A Supreme Court review could force a national reckoning with state strategies that use location-based restrictions instead of permitting discretion. If the Court takes the case, it signals receptiveness to Second Amendment challenges beyond permitting schemes. Industry observers note that a loss for Maryland could prompt other states to reconsider their post-Bruen legislative choices and may force a genuine national consensus on where carry is permissible.
What to Watch Next
The Supreme Court will decide whether to grant the petition, typically within two to three months. If the justices call for the government's response, Maryland's Attorney General will file a brief defending the law, usually within one month of the invitation. The Court might also request briefing from other interested states. If granted, the case would likely be scheduled for oral arguments in the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 term, meaning a decision would come no earlier than 2027 or 2028. Watch for responses from other states with similar sensitive places laws and for amicus briefs from the NRA, state attorneys general, and other gun-rights and gun-control organizations. Maryland's Office of the Attorney General will mount the primary defense of the statute in its response brief.
DownRange Bottom Line: This petition represents exactly the kind of case the Supreme Court should hear post-Bruen: a direct test of whether states can ban carry through location categories rather than discretionary permitting. Maryland's sensitive places law is aggressively written and lacks serious historical grounding. If you live in Maryland or a state with similar restrictions, this case matters enormously—a Supreme Court win could restore carry rights in schools, courthouses, and government buildings. Monitor the Court's docket over the next two months for the decision on whether to grant review.
