Minnesota’s age restriction to carry handguns is unconstitutional, court rules

A federal appeals court ruled that Minnesota's law banning 18-to-20-year-olds from getting permits to carry guns in public is unconstitutional. The decision upheld a district-court ruling that said the Second Amendment right to bear arms should apply to all adults in the state. The ruling referred to a Supreme Court decision from June 2022, which stated that law-abiding Americans have a right to carry a handgun outside their home for self-defense. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed disappointment in the ruling, citing concerns about public safety. The state is deciding how to proceed, but residents under 21 won't be allowed to apply for handguns until the appeals process has concluded. The ruling stemmed from a complaint filed by three gun rights groups in June 2021, arguing that young adults should be allowed to publicly carry handguns. The Second Amendment Foundation, one of the plaintiffs, said the ruling is encouraging and correctly applies the nation's history and tradition. The state had argued that people under the age of 21 aren't competent to make responsible decisions with guns and pose a danger to themselves and others, but the appeals court said the state didn't provide enough evidence to support that claim. If Minnesota's ban is lifted, 10 states and D.C. will still require residents to be 21 or older to publicly possess a handgun.