ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A federal appeals court decision issued Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, upholding most of Maryland’s 2023 firearm restrictions drew praise from state officials, with supporters calling the ruling a significant step for public safety.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state’s ban on concealed firearms in many so-called “sensitive locations,” including government buildings, schools and health care facilities. The ruling followed legal challenges from gun rights advocates who argued the law violated the Second Amendment.
The court upheld restrictions covering traditional sensitive locations such as schools, government buildings and health care facilities, but judges were divided over broader categories of public spaces included in the law. Some provisions remain subject to further legal challenges as courts continue to define how far states may go in limiting where firearms can be carried.
In a statement released after the decision, Gov. Wes Moore said the court confirmed that gun rights and public safety are not mutually exclusive.
“Today’s ruling is a major win for public safety in Maryland,” Moore said, adding that the court affirmed “we can protect the Second Amendment while also protecting Marylanders from the heightened dangers of guns in places like schools, hospitals, public transportation, parks, and other spaces where families should be able to live, learn, and move about safely.”
The law, passed in 2023, expanded the list of locations where firearms are prohibited in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reshaped concealed-carry standards nationwide. Maryland lawmakers, like those in several other states, moved to redefine where firearms could legally be carried.
While the Fourth Circuit upheld the vast majority of the law, judges were divided on certain provisions, underscoring ongoing disputes over how states may regulate firearms under the Supreme Court’s history-based legal test.
Moore said the state will continue to focus on preventing gun violence while respecting constitutional rights, emphasizing partnerships with law enforcement and community organizations.
The ruling is expected to influence future gun law challenges across the region, though further appeals remain possible.
The full Fourth Circuit decision can be read in the court document provided below:
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Right. These are good restrictions to have in place. We all know that those committing gun violence are law abiding citizens that will adhere to these restrictions.