Gun Owners of America (GOA) has filed a reply brief with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the case of Antonyuk v. James, which addresses the constitutionality of New York's Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA). The CCIA imposes strict regulations on concealed carry permits, which GOA argues contradicts the Supreme Court's previous ruling in Bruen.
Following the Bruen decision, New York enacted the CCIA, designating many areas as "sensitive" and restricting firearm carry rights. GOA successfully challenged the law at the District Court level, but the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld most of the CCIA, prompting GOA to seek Supreme Court intervention.
The crux of the argument lies in the Second Circuit's choice to use the ratification date of the Fourteenth Amendment (1868) instead of the Second Amendment's ratification date (1791) as the founding era for gun rights. This decision has led to a circuit split, as other courts, like the Fifth Circuit, adhere to the earlier date, which could potentially invalidate the CCIA.
GOA contends that the Second Circuit's reasoning diverges from the Bruen decision, particularly criticizing the "good moral character" clause that allows subjective permit denials. This case could set a significant precedent for gun rights across the nation, especially if the Supreme Court agrees to hear it.