Supreme Court Faces Two Challenges Over State Carry-Permit Reciprocity and Suitability Rules

Jeffrey Johnson, a cross-country truck driver with Florida and Georgia carry permits, has petitioned the Supreme Court to reject Minnesota's requirement that he obtain a state license before carrying in that state, claiming the lack of reciprocity breaches the Second Amendment. At the same time, an unsuccessful concealed-carry applicant in Massachusetts is asking the state's highest court to declare the state's suitability clause unconstitutional, arguing it allows subjective denial of permits.

Both petitions invoke the Supreme Court's Bruen ruling, which eliminated "special need" tests but left open the permissible scope of licensing schemes. The 8th Circuit previously held that Minnesota's reciprocity statute does not regulate the conduct protected by the Second Amendment, a view the petitioners dispute. Massachusetts' courts are scheduled for oral argument on the suitability issue, with the Second Amendment Foundation and other gun-rights organizations filing amicus briefs. The outcomes could reshape how states handle out-of-state permits and discretionary licensing standards nationwide.