On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a case challenging Hawaii's gun licensing laws. The case involved Christopher Wilson, who was cited for carrying an unlicensed handgun while hiking. Wilson's defense pointed to a 2022 Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights, but Hawaii's highest court criticized that ruling as "fuzzy" and "backward looking," according to Hawaii News Now.

The justices declined to review the case, without commenting on the merits of the challenge. However, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito expressed interest in reconsidering similar cases in the future, with the goal to "reaffirm that the Second Amendment warrants the same respect as any other constitutional right." Justice Neil Gorsuch also suggested the possibility of revisiting the issue later, as reported by Spectrum Local News.

Many states with conservative leanings are dropping the requirement for a license to carry guns publicly. Benjamin Lowenthal, Wilson's attorney, said, "The constitutional problem persists in our state. And as long as the constitution problem remains, there will be constitutional challenges." This shows that the issue of gun rights is still being debated. Hawaii's strict gun licensing laws, which were in place when Wilson was charged in 2017, have since been changed. Prosecutors argued that the Hawaii Supreme Court should handle Wilson's case and pointed to a 2022 Supreme Court decision where Justices Kavanaugh and Roberts said states can still require licenses, as stated by Hawaii News Now.