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En Banc Fourth Circuit Upholds Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Challenge.

Friday, August 23, 2024

En Banc Fourth Circuit Upholds Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License Requirement in NRA-Backed Challenge.

Today, the en banc Fourth Circuit upheld Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License (HQL) requirement in Maryland Shall Issue v. Moore, an NRA-supported case.

To acquire a handgun in Maryland, one must first obtain an HQL. Obtaining an HQL requires taking a four-hour class with classroom and live-fire components, which costs several hundred dollars; undergoing a background check that includes submitting a complete set of fingerprints, which the individual must pay for; paying a $50 application fee; and then waiting up to 30 days for the state to process the application. But obtaining the HQL still does not allow one to purchase a handgun. The individual must then undergo an additional background check, wait seven business days, and pass a NICS check before acquiring the firearm.

In November 2023, a 3-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit held the HQL requirement unconstitutional. But the court then vacated that opinion and agreed to rehear the case en banc.

In today’s opinion, the en banc court upheld the HQL requirement. The court held that the HQL requirement does not even implicate the Second Amendment because it is a type of “shall-issue” licensing law, and such a law only “infringes” the right to keep and bear arms if it “effectively denies” the right. The court then determined that a delay of the right does not completely deny the right, and therefore the HQL requirement does not infringe—or even implicate—the right to keep and bear arms.

The plaintiffs will now consider whether to petition the Supreme Court to hear the case.

Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org for future updates on NRA-ILA’s ongoing efforts to defend your constitutional rights.

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Massachusetts: Gov. Healey Forces Gun Control Law Into Effect

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Massachusetts: Gov. Healey Forces Gun Control Law Into Effect

Governor Maura Healey, one of the nation's most extreme anti-gun politicians, has forced H. 4885 into law.

Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

News  

Monday, September 16, 2024

Kamala for Gun Confiscation: In Her Own Words

During the September 10 presidential debate, President Donald Trump correctly highlighted Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s support for gun confiscation. A visibly defensive Harris claimed, “We're not taking anybody's guns away. So stop with the ...

Massachusetts: Gov. Healey Signs Radical Gun Control Into Law

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Massachusetts: Gov. Healey Signs Radical Gun Control Into Law

On Thursday, July 25th, Governor Maura Healey (D) signed H. 4885, "an act modernizing firearm laws," one of the most extreme gun control bills in the country, into law.

Canada’s Confiscation Scheme – A Lesson for America

News  

Monday, September 30, 2024

Canada’s Confiscation Scheme – A Lesson for America

Vice President and Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris has, in the past, been forthcoming about her support of gun confiscation and mandatory “buybacks” (here and here), and there’s little reason to believe that she has changed her values.

Washington District Court Denies Preliminary Injunction of “Assault Weapon” Ban in NRA-ILA Supported Case

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Washington District Court Denies Preliminary Injunction of “Assault Weapon” Ban in NRA-ILA Supported Case

On September 26, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington denied an NRA-backed request for a preliminary injunction against Washington State’s “assault weapon” ban.

Massachusetts: Non-Resident Hunters Beware

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Massachusetts: Non-Resident Hunters Beware

As noted in a recent American Hunter article, Massachusetts Hunters Face Anti-Gun Law This Fall, there are new legal risks for those looking to hunt in the Bay State. 

Biden Gun “Task Force” to Seek New Federal “Authorities”

News  

Monday, September 30, 2024

Biden Gun “Task Force” to Seek New Federal “Authorities”

On September 26, President Joe Biden signed an executive order “combatting emerging firearm threats.”

When it Comes to Guns Harris is Running a Disinformation Campaign

News  

Monday, September 30, 2024

When it Comes to Guns Harris is Running a Disinformation Campaign

Kamala Harris is the most anti-gun candidate who has ever been as close as she is to becoming president, even if she has been less than forthcoming on her specific views on firearms and the ...

Biden-Harris Administration Caps a Year of Executive Gun Control With … More of the Same

News  

Monday, September 30, 2024

Biden-Harris Administration Caps a Year of Executive Gun Control With … More of the Same

Last week, the Biden-Harris administration celebrated the one-year anniversary of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. 

California: Governor Newsom Signs Multiple Anti-Gun Bills into Law

Friday, September 27, 2024

California: Governor Newsom Signs Multiple Anti-Gun Bills into Law

On September 24th, Governor Newsom continued his crusade to erode Second Amendment rights in California by signing several anti-gun bills into law. NRA actively opposed these bills throughout the session and will continue to fight ...

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.