Supreme Court to Decide on Hawaii's Concealed Carry Restrictions

Pivotal case could determine if states can undermine the Second Amendment through legal loopholes

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in Wolford v. Lopez, a case that will determine whether Hawaii's law restricting concealed carry permits on private property open to the public is constitutional. The state's statute, enacted in response to the Court's Bruen decision, effectively nullifies the right to self-defense for many residents by requiring explicit permission from property owners. Gun rights advocates argue this is an unconstitutional end-run around the Second Amendment.

Why it matters

The outcome of this case could set a precedent for other anti-gun states looking to sidestep the Supreme Court's recent rulings protecting the right to carry firearms. If Hawaii's law is upheld, it could become a model for undermining concealed carry rights across the country. Conversely, a ruling against Hawaii could reinforce the Court's stance that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to self-defense outside the home.

The details

Hawaii's law makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison for concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms onto private property open to the public, such as restaurants, beaches, and shopping areas, without explicit permission from the property owner. The state is defending this statute by citing an 1865 Louisiana law that restricted firearm carry by freed slaves on plantations, a move critics call cynical and an attempt to use a Jim Crow-era precedent to justify modern gun control.

  • In late January 2026, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Wolford v. Lopez.
  • The Court is expected to rule on the case in the coming weeks or months.

The players

Wolford v. Lopez

A pivotal Supreme Court case that will determine the constitutionality of Hawaii's law restricting concealed carry on private property open to the public.

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen

A landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed the individual right to carry firearms for self-defense outside the home, which prompted Hawaii to enact its new concealed carry restrictions.

National Rifle Association

A gun rights advocacy group that filed an amicus brief arguing Hawaii's law effectively nullifies the right to self-defense protected by the Second Amendment.

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What’s next

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on Wolford v. Lopez in the coming weeks or months, with a decision that could have far-reaching implications for concealed carry rights across the country.

The takeaway

This case represents a high-stakes battle over the scope of the Second Amendment, with the potential for the Supreme Court to either uphold or strike down Hawaii's attempt to undermine concealed carry rights through legal maneuvering. The outcome could set an important precedent for how states can - or cannot - restrict the constitutional right to bear arms.