Uptick in gun safety training
Hochul convening special legislative session Thursday
Possible agenda items
Possible agenda items for the upcoming special session:
“… Hochul said Friday she would like to see the state pass specific gun-free zones — schools, places of worship and events over a certain size, and that private places be gun-free unless they note otherwise. She’d like to see further requirements for the storage of a firearm, like in a vehicle, as well as additional permitting requirements, such as increased training prior to being eligible for a permit …”
Would not be surprised to see things like these as well:
“Nassau Legislator Josh Lafazan, who is running for Congress, is calling for new measures to ban the concealed carry of handguns on all county properties. This new measure includes parks and beaches, NICE buses, and the campus of Nassau Community College … Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone also announced Saturday a plan he says will strengthen Suffolk’s red flag laws … Bellone wants the state to expand the scope of the state’s red flag law, increase education and increase monitoring on social media.”
Newsbits
Saturday’s Newsbits:
Elections:
- Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund Endorses Kathy Hochul for Governor, Antonio Delgado for Lieutenant Governor, Letitia James for Attorney General
- Rob Astorino on SCOTUS Gun Ruling
Jurisprudence:
- SCOTUS Rejects ‘Interest-Balancing’ Tests That Treated the Second Amendment As a ‘Constitutional Orphan’
- Supreme Court Decides New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen
- Supreme Court limits reach of federal gun crime law
- Supreme Court’s Second Amendment decision could trigger fight over banning guns at bars, stadiums
- NYC Mayor Adams alarmed over pending Supreme Court ruling that could ease concealed weapons rules: ‘It keeps me up at night’
- NYC Mayor Adams wants to end gun violence — will the Supreme Court prevent him?
Legislation:
- U.S. Congress passes bipartisan gun safety bill
- Stefanik to oppose compromise gun violence measure reached in senate
- Rep. John Katko plans to break with House GOP to support bipartisan gun bill
- Suffolk looks to strengthen Red Flag law
- Could All of New York City Be Designated a Gun Free Zone?
- Proposal to restrict firearm businesses in Riverhead leads to wide debate at contentious public hearing
- Public hearing over possible gun shop ban gets heated in Riverhead
Hochul calls legislature back
Gov. Hochul has called the state legislature back into session on Thursday June 30 to try and moot the SCOTUS decision with new gun control laws.
NYC gun owners celebrate SCOTUS ruling
I’m quoted in this Gothamist article, “NYC gun owners celebrate Supreme Court ruling on concealed-carry“:
“… Jacob Rieper, who runs the pro-Second Amendment blog Gun Politics New York, said in the short term he expects gun owners to face more restrictions, as lawmakers scramble to pass new legislation to regulate permits. “The Legislature’s absolutely not going to just let this slide,” he said. “They’re going to throw as much up against the wall as possible to see what sticks.” But Rieper expects those attempts to make their way to the Supreme Court, too. And when they do, he thinks the justices will rule in his favor. He also thinks the decision could help nudge along bills in Congress that would ease gun carrying rules — both for New York residents and out-of-towners. “I think this case is going to help move legislation at the federal level that’s going to force New York to become more like the rest of the country,” Rieper said …”
Vote for Astorino in the GOP primary
There is a Republican gubernatorial primary next Tuesday. Two of the candidates have public records on 2A, two do not. This is how they break down on the issues:
- Rob Astorino. As Westchester County Executive he brought gun shows back to the County Center in White Plains and streamlined the pistol licensing process. He called for repealing of the SAFE Act from the start and said before the SCOTUS decision was announced that New York should become right-to-carry.
- Lee Zeldin. As a Army Reservist he was on active duty at the time and was not present when the SAFE Act was voted on. He did speak at a rally opposing it in 2013. As a State Senator he did vote for Governor Cuomo’s budget bills, but the SAFE Act cannot be defunded this way so while fiscal criticism is valid here, 2A criticism is not. As a member of Congress he co-sponsored H.R. 38: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act and signed on to the Congressional amicus brief in support of concealed carry.
- Harry Wilson. No known public record on the issue. There is no mention of gun control on his campaign website. He did visit the Pine Tree Rifle Club recently. His campaign appears to be based upon fiscal policy and not social issues.
- Andrew Giuliani. There is no mention of gun control on his campaign website. He has voiced opposition to “red flag” laws (here and here) and publicly supported the SCOTUS decision, but does not otherwise seem to make guns an issue in his campaign.
Based upon their record, both Astorino and Zeldin can be labeled as pro-gun. However, Astorino demonstrated a willingness to stand up for gun rights when it was not necessarily politically advantageous for him to do so. That makes him the best choice for 2A activists. Republicans should vote for Astorino in the June 28 primary.
License restrictions go away
“… Oneida County’s assistant pistol licensing officer says it removes the distinction between unrestricted and sporting licenses. “If they sign off to give somebody a license, all licenses are unrestricted, full carry, carry-concealed licenses,” says Oneida County’s Assistant Pistol Licensing Officer, Dan Sullivan. Sullivan says all of the current sporting licenses in the county will automatically become unrestricted …”
The restrictions don’t exist in the penal code anyway. They came about by judicial fiat in a court case ~25 years ago.