Tennessee Joins 24 States in Supreme Court Fight Over Massachusetts Gun Licensing Law ~ VIDEO

By Old4Sportsmen | September 8, 2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee has joined a coalition of 25 states asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Massachusetts’ firearm licensing requirements for nonresidents. At the center of the dispute is whether one state can effectively block lawful gun owners from exercising their Second Amendment rights once they cross state lines.

The Massachusetts Rule at Issue

Earlier this year, Massachusetts’ highest court ruled that its firearm restrictions apply to out-of-state visitors. The case involved New Hampshire residents who were charged with unlawfully carrying firearms in Massachusetts, even though the guns were purchased legally in their home state.

The court declared that “the Second Amendment right to bear arms is not absolute” and upheld the state’s licensing process for all persons within its borders.

The system requires nonresidents to apply for a Massachusetts license — a process critics say is “burdensome,” with waits up to 170 days and high fees. Visitors can face felony charges if they cross the border armed without the paperwork, even in areas where the line between states is blurry. The multistate filing cites the Pheasant Lane Mall, which straddles the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, as an example. A lawful carrier on one side of the mall could become a felon by walking into a restaurant on the other side.

Free States Push Back

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, who is leading the coalition, argued: “The Second Amendment does not end at the Massachusetts border.” He added that Massachusetts’ approach “treats nonresidents as second-class citizens, imposes arbitrary and excessive restrictions, and contradicts both historical tradition and Supreme Court precedent.”

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti echoed that concern in joining the fight Friday. The states’ brief argues that constitutional rights “cannot be subject to differing standards based solely on geography” and that Massachusetts’ rules give officials “broad discretion” to deny permits, chilling the right to carry for visitors.

The push comes after Massachusetts prosecutors revived charges against a New Hampshire man who admitted to police he was carrying a legally owned firearm but lacked a Massachusetts license. While a trial court initially dismissed the case, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reinstated the charges.

Massachusetts Defends Its Law

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said her office is prepared to defend the state’s approach if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.

“Massachusetts has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the country that are enforced consistent with public safety and the Second Amendment,” Campbell said. “My office will continue to defend them against any challenge in order to keep our communities and our Commonwealth safe.”

What Happens Next

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether to take up the case, which pits two sharply different views of the Second Amendment against one another. For the 25-state coalition, the issue is whether lawful gun owners are forced to give up their rights the moment they cross into Massachusetts. For Massachusetts, it is about maintaining what the state views as strong safeguards in line with its own public safety priorities.

If the highest Court agrees to hear the case, the outcome could reshape how states treat nonresident gun owners nationwide.

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