Supreme Court to hear challenge to 'assault weapons' bans

The Supreme Court announced Tuesday it will take up a challenge to a pair of state “assault weapons” bans in its upcoming term, marking the latest major Second Amendment case before the high court.

The court said in an order list released midday Tuesday that it would take up Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins as a consolidated case for the term beginning in October. The Viramontes case deals with an Illinois law banning so-called “assault weapons,” while the Grant case deals with a similar Connecticut law.