The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in a case challenging Hawaii’s law that bans carrying guns onto most private property open to the public. The outcome could have implications across the country.
The case, Wolford v. Lopez, began in June 2023 when three Maui County residents and the Hawaii Firearms Coalition filed suit against new state legislation. The law makes it a criminal offense for individuals with concealed carry permits to bring handguns onto 15 types of property without explicit permission from the owner or clear signage allowing firearms. This marked a shift from previous Hawaii law, which permitted permit holders to carry firearms on private property open to the public unless specifically forbidden by the owner.
Similar laws are in place in California, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey.
Plaintiffs Jason Wolford, Alison Wolford, Atom Kasprzycki and the Hawaii Firearms Coalition argue that their rights under the Second and Fourteenth Amendments are being violated by this legislation. The state’s defense is led by Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez.
The plaintiffs initially brought their case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In September 2024, that court upheld Hawaii’s law and found “a national tradition likely exists of prohibiting the carrying of firearms on private property without the owner’s oral or written consent.”
Central to this dispute is how courts should apply standards set out in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), which expanded gun rights regarding carrying handguns in public spaces.
The Supreme Court will consider two key questions: whether it was an error for the Ninth Circuit to rule that Hawaii can generally ban handgun carry by permit holders on private property open to the public unless owners give express permission; and whether it was incorrect for that court to rely primarily on post-Reconstruction Era laws when applying legal tests related to history and tradition.
Buckeye Firearms Association has noted ongoing legislative activity related to gun rights within Ohio but is not directly involved in this case. According to its official website, Buckeye Firearms Association focuses its grassroots efforts within Ohio and provides news updates, legislative alerts, training information, commentary and event details concerning firearm ownership for self-defense, hunting and recreation purposes.
