New York Gov. Kathy Hochul this week signed a sweeping legislative package designed to “strengthen the state’s gun laws.”
The legislation signed would do all of the following, and more:
- Ban the sale of body armor to civilians
- Require one to obtain a license to purchase a semiautomatic rifle (one must be 21 to obtain the license)
- Expand the state’s confiscatory red flag law
- Criminalize the sale of firearms that do not have microstamping technology
- Remove the grandfather clause for magazines of a certain capacity purchased prior to the passage of the SAFE Act
- Force gun shops to adhere to uniform security and reporting standards
- Establish a new task force on “Social Media and Violent Extremism.”
“Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart. Thoughts and prayers won’t fix this, but taking strong action will,” Gov. Hochul said at a Monday press conference.
“While we are taking expedient action to enhance New York State’s nation-leading gun laws, we recognize that gun violence is a nationwide problem,” she continued. “I once again urge Congress to follow our lead and take immediate action to pass meaningful gun violence prevention measures. Lives depend on it.”
SEE ALSO: Good Guy With Gun Attempted to Stop Mass Killer in Buffalo
Gun violence is a disease that is plaguing our country.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) June 7, 2022
In New York, we act boldly and we lead.
Thank you to @AndreaSCousins, @CarlHeastie, and all the advocates for their work to quickly pass this transformative package of gun legislation that will protect all New Yorkers. pic.twitter.com/rr6AIjvOqJ
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association, was quick to slam the governor for chilling the 2A rights of law-abiding citizens.
“NSSF is disappointed that New York’s legislature rammed through this package of gun control bills and Governor Hochul chose to sign them into law,” said Mark Oliva, NSSF’s Managing Director of Public Affairs, in an email to GunsAmerica.
Oliva pointed out that the age ban won’t pass Constitutional muster.
“Adults at the age of 18 are fully-vested in their rights and this legislation is blatantly unconstitutional,” observed Oliva. “The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently ruled that California’s similar age-based gun ban violated the Constitution.”
Another concern is the microstamping mandate, which is nothing more than a way to put a freeze on the sale of certain firearms, argues Oliva.
SEE ALSO: Comeuppance for SAFE Act Architect: Gov. Cuomo’s A Sexual Harasser, Investigation Finds
“The sole-source patent holder on this technology has admitted that it is unreliable and can be easily defeated,” noted Oliva. “California serves as another example of how microstamping technology isn’t workable. Since that state has required it, not a single semiautomatic handgun has been added to California’s roster of handguns approved for sale in the state. It is nothing short of a slow-rolling gun ban.”
While it’s unclear what effect, if any, these laws will have when it comes to stopping the next determined killer, what is clear is that the power of the surveillance state has been expanded and the right of the people to keep and bear arms, for traditionally lawful purposes like self-defense from the very killers these new laws are supposed to prevent, has been infringed.
In time, New Yorkers will have to look back and ask themselves, was it worth it?
I recommend that all of you hold onto all this anger and use it to fuel your walk/ride/drive to the Polls this November. I know far too many people who don’t think their vote counts. They are right. Their vote doesn’t do much. OUR votes however, add up quickly. Make sure you talk to friends, and especially other gun owners at the range or gun / outdoor store and stress the importance of voting before your votes really don’t matter anymore because they are gone. Apathy is our #1 enemy. Register and VOTE!!!
The microstamping firing pin myth that the Democommunists cling too, is a real puzzler. Do they think no law abiding criminal will just take a file and smooth it off? Would it be another charge in the warrant, “Wanted for robbery, shooting, evading police, criminal trespass, running 22 red lights, filed microstamp off”. It is more absurd than the days when you had to sign for the .22 ammo you bought at the hardware store.
Thank you Hochul you now have made it harder to make families law abiding families to protect ourselves and our families . These are not mentally stabled people committing these crimes . If anyone to blame it’s you for not protecting our schools. It’s a shame keep coming up with new laws that will do nothing .
The enemy wants your guns and the Constitution and your rights be damned!
About what we could expect from a second-string hack from Buffalo. (Note – not intended as a criticism of Buffalo; there are some outstanding folks there. I just don’t consider her one of them)
“Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart.” Well not really, Kathy. More like it’s occurring in all of your Democrat stronghold cities and as an outgrowth of the current culture you and your party have created. You know…the one where life is devalued, criminals are pampered, police are marginalized, fatherless homes are celebrated, boys and men walking around in dresses. You know…that culture, Kathy.
And ‘micro-stamping’? What should happen is to have every major gun manufacturer and distributor accept no more contracts to supply the State with firearms, or better yet just eliminate sales in NY. I know…will never happen. And not one of these new limitations will prevent anything. It shouldn’t be necessary anyway…the NY SAFE Act made the state safe. Right? Vermin.
This wil do nothing to stop criminals from their activities….What-ever they need, they will steal, mug, rob, murder, etc. What’s needed is justice reform all right- stricter law enforcement of what is already on the books, stop and frisk, do the crime, do the time….these are animals and should be treated as such. Period
Her legislation is wasteful and ineffective she is only concerned with being elected, since she is the default governor following coumo. FKH
Definite, obvious infringement of a Constitutional right. Great opportunity to make some money by suing the crap out of that leftist governor and New York state.
Clearly un-Constitutional and against NYS law which incorporates the exact language of The Second Amendment. Hopefully challenged soon.
License to buy a semiautomatic rifle?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!? And the SCOTUS is on the verge of overturning the arbitrary licensing system in this idiot state?!?!?!? Microstamping?!?!?!?!? Didn’t CA find that technology didn’t work for them? No gun manufacturer will comply with that NY requirement. There will be no more semiauto handguns sold in NY then. I think that just made NY as the most restrictive gun state in the US.
So we are going to ban body armor-if a private citizen wants to purchase body armor because they feel safe with it you are going to ban it because someone wore it in a shooting? What if they wore converse sneakers, a nike shirt, lee blue jeans do they all get banned also? We continue to regulate but things don’t change-mental illness, not following established gun laws, and over restriction of private citizens is the problem. Until that’s addressed nothing will change. An evil person will use any tool available to obtain their result ban guns, it will be gas cans, or bows, or swords, or trucks or poisons. Address the core issues of the demise of society and the mental stress that resulted in that demise.
once again we have politicians educated beyond their intelligence. these “new” gun laws only restrict honest people. The criminals don’t obey the law. So now I have to get rid of 30 round magazines to make the governor happy and it’ll make the coyotes around here happy that I can’t keep shooting until I catch up with their high speed running! Can you say “infringing”
once again we have politicians educated beyond their intelligence. these “new” gun laws only restrict honest people. The criminals don’t obey the law. So now I have to get rid of 30 round magazines to make the governor happy and it’ll make the coyotes around here happy that I can’t keep shooting until I catch up with their high speed running!
Alright, I have not seen the entire video and have only read the article, but I am kind of baffled about this one, so maybe I am mistaken and therefore need to ask:
– Ban the sale of body armor to civilians
– Require one to obtain a license to purchase a semiautomatic rifle (one must be 21 to obtain the license)
As far as I understand it, I can only obtain a license in the state of New York to purchase a semiautomatic rifle if I already own body armor, yet, as a civilian, I cannot buy body armor in the first place? Again, maybe I am mistaken on this one, but if I am actually right in what I am guessing, then this means nothing more than a total ban on the purchase of all semiautomatic rifles within the state of New York.
Yet, as far as I have heard so far, the Buffalo shooter brought his guns from outside the state, so what is the point in these senseless laws? Oh, yes, there is no point, it is just another huge infringement of the 2nd amendment, which, by the way, shall not be infringed.
I grew up in NY. All I can say is, last one out of NY, turn out the lights.
The wife & I escaped from ny state a little over 4 years ago to the free state of Florida. Hochul & her new laws won’t do a thing to reduce crime (hello kathy-the definition of a criminal is someone WHO DOESN’T OBEY THE LAW). Get rid of your stupid no bail laws and soft on crime district attorneys. And bring back the death penalty (totally, 100% prevents repeat offenders!)