New gun control bills still being introduced
Apr 18, 2019 State Legislation
The legislature is not finished with gun control.
New proposals are still being introduced with the latest being S-5261, the companion to A-6947, amends the definition of disguised gun to include certain guns that are designed and intended to appear to be a toy gun. No action on either, just their introduction to Codes.
Also on the floor calendar in both chambers since January is A-763 and S-1414, relating to the criminal possession or manufacture of an undetectable firearm, rifle, or shotgun. These could be voted on at any time.
Gravity knife bill A-5944
Apr 10, 2019 State Legislation
A-5944, removes references of gravity knives as a dangerous weapon from certain provisions of the penal law relating to firearms and other dangerous weapons, has passed the Assembly.
Cuomo can’t win
Apr 9, 2019 Moonbattery, State Legislation
Despite Gov. Cuomo’s best efforts, Giffords still only gives New York an A- for it’s gun control laws.
It seems that no matter what Cuomo does, the antis will not give him their highest grade. California and New Jersey each got full A’s this time around.
If he were smart (he’s not) he would have dropped the issue after SAFE. Will he learn this time?
S-4849, stun gun regulation
Apr 4, 2019 Jurisprudence, State Legislation
A couple weeks ago a judge ruled that the state’s ban on stun guns was unconstitutional. I wrote:
“It’s a safe bet that new restrictive legislation will be introduced in Albany shortly.”
Brad Hoylman promptly introduced S-4849 to Senate Codes.
According to the justification statement:
“… This bill would regulate the sale, possession, and use of electronic stun guns and electronic dart guns in a similar manner to New York’s current laws regulating the use of personal defense sprays. The bill would limit the possession of these weapons to possession for personal protection or the protection of property, and limit the permissible use of such weapons to self-defense … It is imperative in light of the recent court decision that New York act to impose sensible restrictions on the use of these potentially deadly weapons in order to protect our residents from harm …”
There is no Assembly companion bill (yet).
The legislature is going to do the exact same thing if/when a gun law is struck down by the courts. They might even cut-n-paste the justification from this bill.
Newsbits
Apr 1, 2019 Armed Citizen, Jurisprudence, State Legislation
Monday’s Newsbits:
Assemblyman David DiPietro will be holding a forum on Assembly bill A-1413 that would “Ban firearms as prizes in any game of chance” on Saturday April 6th, Jamison Road Firehall, Elma from 10:00am until noon. Sheriff Tim Howard and others will be there as well.
Armed Citizen:
- Man behind push for new Hasidic village allegedly beaten, pulled out gun in defense
- Westtown man justified in shooting neighbor’s dogs to death, SPCA says
Jurisprudence:
NRA should support decriminalizing marijuana
Mar 31, 2019 Federal Legislation, Politics, State Legislation
The Governor and legislature have reached an agreement on the state budget. As usual it’s a fiscal policy disaster.
One item that did not make it is recreational marijuana. Assemblyman David DiPietro vlogged that if it became law any gun owner who purchased pot could lose their firearms. His post received way more attention that I thought it would:
Gun groups including NRA getting involved with non-gun issues is bad policy. However, I believe NRA should make a statement about decriminalizing weed at the federal level. No need to get into detailed arguments, just a simple statement that marijuana should be decriminalized so that people cannot be penalized for exorcising their 2A rights.
Newsbits
Mar 28, 2019 Jurisprudence, Politics, State Legislation
Thursday’s Newsbits:
Assemblyman Colin Schmitt is forming a “Sportsman & 2nd Amendment Advisory Council.” District residents interested in volunteering should contact Jena Knight at 845-469-6929.
Jurisprudence:
- Judge Grants NRA Bid to Question N.Y. Ex-Official Over Insurance Inquiry
- NRA Allowed to Depose Former DFS Superintendent Vullo in Lawsuit Against NY
- Federal weapons ruling will impact Hudson Valley
Legislation:
- Senator Anna M. Kaplan Passes Gun Safety Legislation Correcting Standard for Intoxication While Hunting
- NY Lawmakers Urge Cuomo To Sign Safe-Storage Gun Bill
Politics:
Long Island Bills Pushes For Safe Storage Of Guns
Mar 27, 2019 Politics, State Legislation
Suffolk Co. courts ruled mandatory storage is illegal back in ’08. See Colaiacovo v. Dormer.
Stun gun decision
Mar 24, 2019 Jurisprudence, State Legislation
“A federal judge has ruled that New York’s ban on personal ownership of stun guns is unconstitutional … The decision came in a lawsuit filed by Matthew Avitabile, who said he wanted to buy a stun gun for self-defense in his rural upstate New York home. His lawyers argued that New York’s longstanding ban on civilian ownership of stun guns violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms …”
Here is a copy of the decision.
The judge’s determination:
“New York’s sweeping prohibition on the possession and use of tasers and stun guns by all citizens for all purposes, even for self-defense in one’s own home, must be declared unconstitutional in light of Heller. To be clear, this conclusion does not foreclose the possibility that some restriction(s) on the possession and/or use of tasers and stun guns would be permissible under the Second Amendment. Other states have already done this … New York might consider doing so as well.”
It’s a safe bet that new restrictive legislation will be introduced in Albany shortly.
Everytown lobbyists in Albany
Mar 21, 2019 Politics, State Legislation
Everytown has retained Ostroff Associates to lobby in Albany for gun control during the 2019-20 session. Their compensation is $10,000 per month.
Aside from advocating “gun violence prevention” they specifically pushed for A-2684, A-2689 and A-2690 which were all part of the Governor’s gun control package.