Supreme Court to review assault weapons bans

Key facts

• The Supreme Court will review challenges to assault weapons bans in Connecticut and the Chicago area.
• The bans target semi-automatic rifles, such as the AR-15 and similar firearms.
• Gun-rights advocates argue that popular rifles like the AR-15 are in common use and protected by the Second Amendment.
• Federal appeals courts have previously upheld bans on assault weapons.
• The Supreme Court's recent rulings have expanded gun rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review challenges to assault weapons bans in Connecticut and the Chicago area, considering whether restrictions on semi-automatic rifles violate the Second Amendment. The justices will hear appeals concerning bans on firearms like the AR-15, which are also prohibited in about a dozen other states and major cities. A national ban expired in 2004, but legislative efforts to reinstate it have continued following mass shootings. Gun rights groups argue that popular rifles are in common use and protected by the Second Amendment, while proponents of the bans cite public safety and the weapons' similarity to military-grade arms. This case follows the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling that expanded Second Amendment rights, leading to numerous legal challenges against firearm laws. Arguments are anticipated in the fall.