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Anti-gun Bills Flood New York State Assembly

Numerous anti-gun bills are slated to be voted on in the New York State Assembly. The National Shooting Sports Foundation and the New York State Association of Firearms Retailers are encouraging all sportsmen, gun owners and firearms enthusiasts to contact your state assembly member immediately, urging them to oppose these anti-gun bills:

• Assembly Bill 6525A, sponsored by State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88), would create new sales and reporting requirements for licensed firearms dealers and require dealers to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 of liability insurance.

• Assembly Bill 9819A, authored by State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-16), would seek to ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called "microstamping" technology. The bill requires all semiautomatic pistols sold in the state to microstamp an array of characters that identify the make, model and serial number of the pistol on the firing pin, which would copy the characters onto the cartridge case upon firing.

• Assembly Bill 7331, sponsored by State Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-61), would expand the ban on semi-automatic "assault weapons," as well as require the ballistic "fingerprinting" (registration) of all semi-automatic "assault weapons" owned prior to a specified date.

• Assembly Bill 3451, introduced by State Assemblyman David Koon (D-135), would expand New York's failed ballistic imaging program even after a study by the National Academy Sciences was released stating it does not work to solve crimes.

• Assembly Bill 2772, authored by State Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington (D-3), would ban the sale, use or possession of any firearm with a bore diameter .50 caliber or larger. This bill would require gun owners in possession of these firearms to surrender them to law enforcement.

• Assembly Bill 829, sponsored by State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-4), would prohibit the sale of any handgun that doesn't contain a childproofing device or mechanism incorporated into the design of the handgun.

• Assembly Bill 76, sponsored by State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-20), would require the mandatory storage of all firearms.

• Assembly Bill 3447, introduced by State Assemblyman David Koon (D-135), would ban the sale or possession of frangible ammunition.

• Assembly Bill 9543, authored by State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-36), would require purchasers of antique firearms to undergo a background check.

New York State Dealers in the Crosshairs

Anti-gun legislator Eric Schneiderman (D-31) in the New York State Senate is trying to circumvent the committee process to further his agenda. Sen. Schneiderman is trying to petition Senate Bill 2404 out of committee to the floor.

The intent of this legislation is to impose impossible requirements and restrictions on federally licensed firearms dealers that will in the end force each and every dealer out of business. SB 2404 and its supporters only have one goal in mind, and that is closing down firearms dealers. The most onerous requirement of the legislation is the imposition of liability insurance for the illegal use of a firearm that is legally transferred by a licensed dealer. It is understood that insurance companies will not write these policies, thus putting the dealers in a position where they cannot meet the "condition." Among other things, this legislation mandates redundant reporting requirements and security measures that would be impractical to implement.

NSSF, joined by the affiliated New York State Association of Firearms Retailers, is encouraging all sportsmen, hunters and firearms enthusiasts to contact their local members of the New York State Senate, urging them to strongly oppose this anti-business and anti-gun legislation along with the sponsor's attempt to bypass the committee process.