ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland's new concealed carry gun law took effect on October 1, with some key provisions removed after a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge's ruling.
That Friday ruling still allows firearms in certain places like bars, private buildings and near public demonstrations.
But the ban includes "sensitive places" like health care facilities, school grounds, parks, government buildings and casinos.
R.S. Mitchell, a firearms instructor at Atlantic Tactical Firearms in Salisbury notes the judge's temporary injunction could end at any moment.
"Most crimes happen in gun free zones, so having a firearm, in fact the judge says this would be grievous harm in these areas if people couldn't defend themselves there. That was basically the premise of the injunction," he said.
Melissa Ladd with Maryland Moms Demand Action is glad a large portion of the law's provisions took effect on Sunday.
"So much of the law remains in effect, the injunction was really on three parts of it and all the rest remain," she said.
WBOC asked Governor Wes Moore about the law on Wednesday, prior to the judge's ruling. The Governor stressed the importance of fighting to defend this law.
"There's no reason to bring a firearm into a nursery, or there's no reason to bring a firearm into a government building. Or if a person has a history of mental illness and a history of violence they should not be allowed to purchase a weapon," he said.
In a statement shortly after the judge's ruling, the Governor said in part "the court upheld many of Senate Bill 1's common sense reforms."
This law came about in the wake of the Supreme Court's June 2022 Bruen decision.
That decision found that states cannot impose too many restrictions on the right to carry a firearm.
In Maryland, it led to the end of the state's requirement that you must show a "good and substantial" reason to conceal carry a firearm.