Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich Defends Second Amendment at Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich applauds the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) for upholding the Second Amendment declaring New York’s subjective-issue firearm license regime unconstitutional in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

"I am proud of the Supreme Court’s decision today affirming that your right to self-defense does not end when you step outside of your home," said Arizona Attorney General Brnovich. "The Second Amendment is our country’s clear, concise, and lawful acknowledgment of a God-given right that is truly self-evident."

Today, SCOTUS ruled 6-3 that New York's requirement to obtain a concealed-carry license violates the Constitution "by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their right to keep and bear arms in public." The State of New York requires citizens to “demonstrate a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community or of persons engaged in the same profession” to obtain a concealed permit to carry a firearm outside the home. Practically speaking, it requires New Yorkers to prove that they have already been a victim of violent crimes before they may protect themselves from potentially becoming victims of violent crimes. 

Arizona and forty-two other states have objective-issue systems where a permit is issued to an individual who meets a certain set of objective criteria (background check, mental health records check, fingerprinting, knowledge of applicable laws, firearms training, or other requirements). 

 
Copt of SCOTUS opinion here.

Copy of Arizona’s amicus brief here.