U.S. District Court judge William S. Stickman recently ruled against Pennsylvania’s ban on 18-20-year-olds obtaining a concealed carry permit for self-defense. The case, known as Lara v. Evanchick, was brought forth by the Second Amendment Foundation, Firearms Policy Coalition, and three private citizens, including Madison M. Lara.
The lawsuit challenged Section 6109(b) of Pennsylvania’s concealed carry law, which limits permit issuance to individuals 21 and older. The plaintiffs argued that the enforcement of this section by Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Robert Evanchick infringed on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding 18-20-year-olds.
Judge Stickman, appointed by Trump, considered the Supreme Court’s Heller and McDonald decisions before ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. He not only overturned the concealed carry permit guidelines but also prohibited the arrest of 18-20-year-olds who openly carry handguns for self-defense during a state of emergency.
The executive director of SAF, Adam Kraut, praised the decision, stating that it grants 18-20-year-olds in Pennsylvania the same Second Amendment rights as those over 21. This ruling is seen as a victory for Second Amendment rights in the state.
