October 1, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court struck down a Hawaii law requiring people to get permission to carry guns into stores and hotels on Thursday, in its latest opinion backing Second Amendment rights.
The high court's 6-3 decision means people can carry guns onto privately owned property like shopping malls and gas stations, unless the owners specifically say guns are banned at their establishments.
The Justice Department argued the law violates the Second Amendment. The measure was sometimes referred to as a “vampire rule" because it required people with guns to get permission to enter. Vampire lore says bloodsuckers need an invitation to enter a home.
Hawaii argued that the 2023 measure ensured private owners could decide whether they wanted firearms on their property. The state passed the law as thousands more people got legal permission to carry guns in the wake of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that protects an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home
About four other states have enacted similar laws, though presumptive restrictions for guns on private property open to the public have also been blocked elsewhere.
Hawaii also restricts guns in places like parks, beaches, and restaurants that serve alcohol, but those rules weren't before the court. They are being challenged in lower courts, however.
The suit before the Supreme Court was filed by a gun rights group and three people from Maui. A judge originally blocked the measure, but an appeals court allowed it to be enforced. The Justice Department backed the Supreme Court appeal.
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