In breaking Second Amendment news, the Supreme Court of the United States has just received a major new petition that could finally force the Court to address one of the most controversial issues in America — the constitutionality of semi-automatic rifle bans.

For years, gun rights advocates have argued that the phrase “shall not be infringed” is crystal clear. Yet courts across the country have added a long list of exceptions — “unless it’s dangerous and unusual,” “unless it’s not in common use,” or “unless it has military-style features.” These judicial loopholes have diluted the Second Amendment so much that Americans are now relying on the Supreme Court to clarify what should have been obvious from the start.

The Second Amendment Foundation (2AF) has just filed a petition for certiorari in Grant v. Rella, a direct challenge to Connecticut’s ban on modern semi-automatic rifles. Unlike other bans, Connecticut’s law prohibits firearms not only by features but also by name, specifically outlawing popular rifles like the AR-15.

At the heart of the case is a simple question:

Do the Second and Fourteenth Amendments guarantee the right to possess semi-automatic rifles in common use for lawful purposes — including the most popular rifle in the country, the AR-15?

The petition even cites Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s previous statement in the Snope v. Brown denial, where he noted that it’s “analytically difficult to distinguish the AR-15 from the handguns at issue in Heller.” In other words, if the Supreme Court ruled that handguns are protected under District of Columbia v. Heller, then semi-automatic rifles — which function the same way — should also be protected.

This isn’t the only case before the Court. Other 2A challenges like Vermontes v. Cook County (Illinois) and NAGR v. Lamont (Connecticut) are also waiting for review. Collectively, they represent a massive opportunity for SCOTUS to finally address bans on AR-15s, standard-capacity magazines, and similar firearms that are in common use across America.

If the Court refuses to take these cases, it would allow lower courts to continue defying both the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s own precedent in NYSRPA v. Bruen. The result would be a dangerous green light for states to continue punishing law-abiding gun owners for exercising their fundamental rights.

This filing by the 2AF marks a turning point in the national gun rights battle. With multiple semi-auto and magazine ban cases now sitting before the Supreme Court, 2025 could be the year the justices finally answer the question once and for all:

Can firearms in common use be banned?

The clear answer under the Second Amendment is no — but it’s now up to the Supreme Court to say so.