Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R), along with 26 other states, has submitted court briefs regarding Wolford vs. Lopez. They are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Hawaii’s concealed carry ban.
A recent brief from 27 states, represented by 26 Republican attorneys general and the Arizona state legislature, referenced a Supreme Court ruling from 2022. This ruling emphasized that the right to keep and bear arms is “not a second-class right and is subject to a completely different set of rules than those guaranteed by other Bills of Rights.”
In response, the Hawaii State Legislature made changes that established default rules regarding public carry on private property accessible to the public. Instead of assuming public carry was allowed unless explicitly prohibited, Hawaii’s new law presumes that public carry is forbidden unless there is a specific approval.
Plaintiffs Jason Wolford, Alison Wolford, Atom Kasprzycki, and the Hawaii Firearms Coalition challenged the ban, prompting a district court judge to block it in 2023. However, in 2024, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban.
In early October, the Supreme Court agreed to review Wolford vs. Lopez. Now, the coalition of 26 attorneys general and the Arizona Legislature is urging the court to overturn the ban.
“Hawaii is clearly violating its citizens’ Second Amendment rights,” Knudsen stated. “We remain optimistic. Hawaii’s law changes the default rule and demands explicit permission from businesses to legally carry firearms. Montanans and Hawaiians should have the same right to carry unless stated otherwise. As Attorney General, I will continuously stand up for our constitutional rights and confront those attempting to undermine them.”
The 25 other attorneys general collaborating with Knudsen include Republicans from various states such as Paul R. Labrador (Idaho), Steve Marshall (Alabama), and many others.
Support from the Arizona legislature for this court brief is being led by House Speaker Steve Montenegro and Senate President Warren Peterson, both Republicans.
