Supreme Court will hear challenge to New York's concealed carry licenses — first major gun case in a decade

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the first major gun-rights case to be taken up in about a decade, according to the Associated Press.

The case centers on New York State's "may-issue" standards for permits to carry a loaded handgun in public. Under New York law, gun owners must show a specific need to obtain such a permit. These are among the strictest standards of any state in the country, although seven other states have similar laws on their books.

A lower court rejected a challenge to these laws, but the case will now be reviewed by a bench of justices that includes six Republican appointees. Since the last major gun rights ruling in MacDonald v. Chicago, multiple new justices were appointed who are skeptical of gun restrictions, including Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

The case is expected to be argued in the fall. It also comes after a long string of mass shootings throughout the country, and a surge of gun purchases fueled by first-time buyers.