The law was enacted following the Supreme Court's decision in *New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen*, which struck down New York's previous concealed carry licensing regime.
Paxton's office argued that the Concealed Carry Improvement Act violates both the Second Amendment's protection of gun rights and the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom.
The briefs contend that the law effectively prevents law-abiding citizens from exercising their constitutional right to bear arms while attending religious services, creating an unconstitutional burden on fundamental rights.
The Montana-led coalition challenges the Act's broad definition of sensitive locations, arguing that the restrictions go far beyond what the Supreme Court contemplated in *Bruen* when it acknowledged limited place-based restrictions on carrying firearms.
The briefs assert that places of worship should not be automatically categorized as sensitive locations where constitutional rights can be suspended.
This legal challenge represents part of a broader multi-state effort to push back against what conservative attorneys general view as attempts by blue states to circumvent the Supreme Court's *Bruen* decision.
Since *Bruen* was decided in June 2022, several states with strict gun laws have enacted new restrictions that critics argue are designed to nullify the Court's ruling through definitional gamesmanship.
The amicus briefs were filed in ongoing litigation challenging the Act in federal court.
The outcome could have significant implications for how states define "sensitive places" where concealed carry can be prohibited, particularly as it relates to the intersection of gun rights and religious liberty.
Paxton has made challenging gun regulations a signature issue of his tenure, filing numerous lawsuits against federal agencies and supporting challenges to restrictive state laws.