Appeals court revives challenge to Maryland gun laws

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court on Monday revived a lawsuit challenging Maryland’s rules for obtaining a handgun as unconstitutionally restrictive.

The unanimous ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond reinstates the lawsuit, which was first filed in 2016 and tossed out of court by a federal judge last year.

The lawsuit challenges Maryland’s handgun licensing law, passed in 2013, which requires gun purchasers to complete four hours of safety training in addition to passing background checks, being 21 years old and a Maryland resident.

The case was initially dismissed because the plaintiffs, including the advocacy group Maryland Shall Issue, lacked standing to sue.