ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Marylanders interested in carrying a gun outside their home will no longer have to present a good reason on their permit applications, according to Gov. Larry Hogan.
The governor issued a statement Tuesday detailing the change due to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down a provision in New York law that is near-identical to the Maryland standard.
Called the "good and substantial reason" standard, it has required permit applicants to provide a good and substantial reason to wear, carry or transport a handgun. Those reasons could have previously included documented evidence of recent threats, robberies or assaults supported by official police reports or notarized statements from witnesses or if the applicant worked in a job where owning a firearm made sense, among others.
"In light of the ruling and to ensure compliance with the Constitution, I am directing the Maryland State Police to immediately suspend utilization of the ‘good and substantial reason’ standard when reviewing applications," Hogan wrote in a statement posted to Twitter.
He also highlighted his ongoing commitment to common-sense gun laws.
“Over the course of my administration, I have consistently supported the right of law-abiding citizens to own and carry firearms, while enacting responsible and common-sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill," Hogan wrote.
Ultimately, the governor said that it would be unconstitutional to continue enforcing the provision in state law, however, there would be no impact on other permitting requirements and protocols.
Maryland State Police responded to Hogan's announcement saying they were in the process of "updating the Licensing Portal to reflect these changes."
"Until these updates are complete, applicants submitting a Wear and Carry Permit application are directed to select 'Personal Protection / Category Not Listed Above' as their handgun permit category," MSP wrote in a statement. "Applicants are not required to attach documents to the 'PERSONAL PROTECTION DOCUMENTATION' section on the 'Upload Documents' page of the Wear and Carry Permit application."
As of June 28, at least 5,032 gun owners applied for permits to carry a handgun outside the home so far this year, according to MSP. Another 3,300 have applied for renewals for existing permits, and at least 772 of those applications were disapproved.
Mark Pennak, president of a Second Amendment advocacy group Maryland Shall Issue, argues that Marylanders will be safer because criminals will be less likely to prey on citizens if they might be legally armed.
“Permit holders are among the most law-abiding people on the face of the earth," Pennak said.
However, some Democrats in Maryland say more people carrying guns will mean more bloodshed.
“I don’t think more guns makes Prince George’s County, or Maryland, or the United States any safer,” said former Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey, who is now running for Congress. "Flashpoints become extra dangerous when everybody's got a firearm."
Ivey cited road rage incidents, and people under the influence of alcohol or drugs as examples.
Maryland’s Attorney General Brian Frosh also criticized the courts' ruling, writing it would mean "more deaths and more pain in a country already awash in gun violence."