US Supreme Court expands Second Amendment rights in June 2026 rulings

In June 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court issued two 6‑3 decisions that broadened the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. In *Wolford v. Lopez* the Court struck down a Hawaii law that required property owners’ permission before a handgun could be carried on private premises open to the public, effectively reversing the state’s attempt to make concealed carry impractical. In *U.S. v. Hemani* the justices unanimously limited a decades‑old federal prohibition that barred firearm possession by certain drug users, a restriction that had affected millions of Americans who use marijuana.

Both rulings applied the “Bruen” historical‑tradition test, tightening the legal standard for evaluating gun regulations. Legal scholars noted the decisions signal extreme skepticism toward new gun‑control measures and may pave the way for the Court to hear further cases involving assault‑style rifles, high‑capacity magazines, and age‑based handgun sales restrictions in its next term.