‘Moral Character’ Gun Law Stands—for Now

Second Amendment supporters just hit a frustrating roadblock in the ongoing battle over New York’s restrictive gun laws.

On April 7, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Antonyuk v. James, a case that directly challenged New York’s controversial gun control measures passed after the landmark Bruen decision in 2022.

For those keeping score, Bruen was supposed to slam the door shut on arbitrary carry restrictions by requiring gun laws to align with the nation’s historical tradition. But New York lawmakers didn’t seem to get the memo.

Instead, they passed the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which introduced vague requirements like “good moral character” and created an expansive list of so-called “sensitive places” where lawful carry is prohibited.

Second Amendment advocates quickly pounced on the law, arguing it was a backdoor attempt to repackage the same unconstitutional restrictions the Court just struck down. But with Monday’s denial of certiorari, the high court is leaving the issue in the hands of lower courts for now.

“This is disappointing,” said many pro-2A voices, concerned the Court’s silence will encourage states like New York to continue testing the limits of constitutional carry.

Critics argue that subjective moral character standards could be used to target law-abiding citizens based on political views, religious beliefs, or social affiliations—effectively weaponizing discretion to deny rights.

The Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene doesn’t mean the issue is over. Several federal lawsuits challenging various parts of the CCIA are still making their way through the courts. And if conflicting rulings arise, the high court may eventually be forced to weigh in.

For now, though, New York’s carry law remains in effect, and gun owners are once again left wondering if the Second Amendment truly carries the same weight as the rest of the Bill of Rights.

*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! ***