Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii's 'vampire rule' for gun owners

Guns in AmericaSupreme Court strikes down Hawaii's 'vampire rule' for gun ownersThe Hawaiian provision required gun owners to, like Count Dracula, have explicit permission to enter certain properties when armed,Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A shadow system pistol is displayed for sale in a gun store in Rio Rico, Santa Cruz County, Ariz., in 2025.Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 25, 2026, 10:09 AM EDTBy Lawrence HurleyWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Hawaii gun restriction that limits when people can carry firearms on certain private properties open to the public, saying it infringes on the right to bear arms.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.On a 6-3 vote, the court invalidated the measure that requires people with concealed carry permits to seek permission from a property owner before entering. It has been dubbed the "vampire rule" because, as in the classic novel "Dracula" and related tales, vampires can only enter someone's home if they are invited in.The court, often supportive of gun rights, concluded that the provision violates the Constitution's Second Amendment.The ruling is somewhat limited in its practical impact because most states do not have provisions similar to Hawaii's. In the majority of the country, the law already assumes that people can enter private properties while armed if they have a permit to carry a firearm.As a result, the ruling will only affect a handful of states that took a similar approach to Hawaii: New York, New Jersey, Maryland and California.Enacted in 2023 as part of a broader gun law, the Hawaii rule applies to private properties open to the public like gas stations, stores and restaurants. Anyone who violates the rule could face up to a year in prison.Other provisions of the law were also challenged and have been partly blocked by lower courts.Maui resid...