Maryland Governor Orders State Police to Drop "Good and Substantial Reason" Requirement for Carry Licenses

Governor Larry Hogan's statement:

Over the course of my administration, I have consistently supported the right of law-abiding citizens to own and carry firearms, while enacting responsible and common sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a provision in New York law pertaining to handgun permitting that is virtually indistinguishable from Maryland law. In light of the ruling and to ensure compliance with the Constitution, I am directing the Maryland State Police to immediately suspend utilization of the "good and substantial reason" standard when reviewing applications for Wear and Carry Permits. It would be unconstitutional to continue enforcing this provision in state law. There is no impact on other permitting requirements and protocols.

Today's action is in line with actions taken in other states in response to the recent ruling.

You can see the similar reactions from California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey; for New York's legislative reaction, see here; haven't seen any official statements yet from Hawaii or D.C. (which I think had been required to go shall-issue by a D.C. Circuit decision). Thanks to reader Ed Shell for the pointer.