The Supreme Court upholds a federal regulation aimed at restricting access to “ghost guns,” which are firearm kits that can be quickly assembled into functioning weapons. This 7-2 ruling restores a 2022 regulation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, requiring that these parts kits, labeled as firearms, be sold with serial numbers and background checks.
The decision marks a significant step as law enforcement reports a sharp increase in crimes involving untraceable ghost guns, rising from 1,600 incidents in 2017 to over 19,000 in 2021. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, addressing the Court’s majority opinion, emphasizes the law’s intent to cover items that can readily be converted into firearms, thus reinforcing federal oversight as challenges to the regulation arise from hobbyists and industry representatives.
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