davsco
Ultimate Member
Virginia has it. Anyone know which & how many other states have RKBA in their Constitutions?
Thankfully, this is an irrelevant issue since all states are bound by the US Constitution, so even if you live in a freedom hating state like MD, we are still covered. Now, if only Congress would learn to read the Constitution, we would be in better shape.
interesting all the states that have 2a in their constitutions. when you have the national 2a, and then the states also affirming that right, hard to play that down.
and virginia added language as recently as 1971, so well after the single-shot and blackpowder days.
The question of 2A inclusion was debated during the writing of the MD Constitution. A Baltimore lawyer (surprise) argued it would be redundant since the COTUS was quite clear. He prevailed and the rest is history.
List is incomplete. I know WV has one.
I think it's more like 44 states. But keep in mind some states like MA have basically made theirs irrelevant by their courts ruling it's all about the state militia.
No decision about whether self-defense right right is protected. Compare 1993 Va. Op. Atty. Gen. 13 (construing the right as collective) with 2006 WL 304006 (Va. Op. Atty. Gen.) (construing the right as individual).