Does the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution apply only to the Federal government, or does it also restrict the states and cities from infringing on a citizen's right to bear arms? That is the issue at the heart of a case to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Tuesday Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning joined 37 other states who are asking the court to rule that the 2nd Amendment does restrain state and local governments as much as it restrains the federal government.

In 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 2nd Amendment guarantees the right of citizens to own guns, that it did not just apply to "state militias". In that case the court overturned an ordinance in the District of Columbia.

But Washington DC is a Federal enclave, so the question remained -- did the Court's ruling also apply to the 50 states and local governments.

In a case out of Chicago, the court will hear arguments sometime after the first of the year.