Maryland’s handgun permit law will not be examined by the U.S. Supreme Court, leaving to stand a lower court ruling that the state’s restrictive rules for carry permits do not
unconstitutionally infringe upon gun-owners’ rights.

The justices did not explain their reasoning, but the decision intensified a simmering dispute over the limits of firearms restrictions. Other challenges are pending in federal courts — including two in Maryland attacking the state’s new ban on military-style assault rifles and its requirements for fingerprinting and training of buyers before they can purchase handguns.

Patrick Shomo, the president of gun rights group Maryland Shall Issue, said the case is part of a much larger legal debate. He said federal courts have other matters before them that could result in a broader dismantling of firearm restrictions.

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