MACON, Ga. — A U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down a New York gun law could dissolve some of Georgia's gun restrictions.
The court ruled 6-3 declaring New York's permit requirement violated the U.S. Constitution. The New York law required you to prove you were in a special situation where you needed extra protection in order to get a gun license. SCOTUS's ruling instead holds up the Second Amendment right to carry handguns outside the home.
"It now states that you cannot really infringe upon it the way that things have been done in the past," said the Executive Director of GeorgiaCarry.org, Jerry Henry.
So, other states including Georgia could find their current restrictions unconstitutional. For example, Georgia law still bans bringing guns into certain places such as a church, unless the church allows it. Pastor of the Freedom Church in Warner Robins Troy Wynn says he has a "mixed review."
"I understand the right to bear arms and I do honor and respect that. At some point, though, I am really concerned about individuals not being mentally responsible enough to carry loaded weapons in a facility or place where they may not be able to conduct themselves properly if something were to happen," Wynn said.
Bonnie Carlson with Mercer University's law school says the ruling changes the constitutional framework when it comes to new gun laws.
"Now, legislatures are going to have to demonstrate that their laws are historically-rooted, and that's going to have to be the justification for any gun regulations moving forward," Carlson said.
"There's still some infringements on there and there will remain some infringements on there, but for the most part, the Second Amendment means what it says, that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," Henry said.
Thursday's U.S. Supreme Court's decision came as congress passed bipartisan gun legislation and the president signed off on it over the weekend. Members were quoted saying they hope the laws prevent dangerous people from getting their hands on guns, and expands access to mental health care.