The measure, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul after passing both houses by wide margins, is almost certain to draw more legal challenges from gun rights advocates who say the state still places too many restrictions on the who can obtain weapons and where they can carry them. . Hochul, a Democrat, invited the Democratic-controlled Legislature back to Albany to work on the law after last week’s high court ruling overturned the state’s longstanding licensing restrictions. Supporters said the law, which takes effect Sept. 1, strikes the right balance between complying with the Supreme Court ruling and keeping guns out of the hands of people who might use them recklessly or with criminal intent. But some Republican lawmakers, opposed to tighter restrictions, have argued that the law violates the constitutional right to bear arms. They also predicted that it would end up being overthrown. Among other things, the state’s new rules will require people applying for gun permits to hand over a list of their social media accounts so officials can verify their “character and conduct.” Applicants will have to show that they possess “the substantial character, temperament and judgment required to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger self or others”. As part of this assessment, applicants must submit a list of social media accounts they have maintained for the past three years. “Sometimes, they telegraph their intent to cause harm to others,” Gov. Kathy Hotchul, Democrat, said at a news conference. Gun rights advocates and Republican leaders were outraged, saying the legislation not only violated the Second Amendment, but also privacy and free speech rights. “The constitutional liberties of New Yorkers have just been trampled on,” said Republican state House Speaker Nick Langworthy. The bill approved by lawmakers does not specify whether applicants would have to give licensing officials access to private social media accounts that are not visible to the general public. Individuals applying for a permit to carry a handgun must also provide four character references, complete 16 hours of firearms safety training plus two hours of practice in a range, undergo periodic background checks and submit contact information for their spouse, domestic partner or any other adult living in their household. Hochul’s lead attorney, Elizabeth Fine, insisted that the state lays out “a very clear set of eligibility criteria” and noted that the legislation includes an appeals process. The measure signed into law Friday also sets aside a recently passed law that banned the sale of certain types of body armor to the general public. The previous law accidentally left out many types of body armor, including the type worn by a gunman who killed 10 black men in a racist attack at a Buffalo supermarket. The Supreme Court’s ruling last week struck down a 109-year-old state law that required people to demonstrate an unusual threat to their safety to qualify for a permit to carry a gun outside their homes. This restriction generally limited licenses to individuals who had worked in law enforcement or had another special need that exceeded ordinary public safety concerns. Under the new system, the state will not approve licenses for people with criminal convictions within the past five years for driving while intoxicated, menacing or third-degree assault. People will also not be allowed to bring firearms into a long list of “sensitive places,” including New York’s tourist-packed Times Square. This list also includes schools, universities, government buildings, places where people have gathered for public protests, health care facilities, places of worship, libraries, public playgrounds and parks, day care centers, summer camps, addiction and mental health centers, shelters , public transport, bars, theatres, stadiums, museums, polling stations and casinos. New York will also ban people from bringing guns into any business or workplace unless the owners post signs saying guns are welcome. People who bring guns into places without such signs could be prosecuted for a felony. This is a reverse approach from many other states where businesses that want to keep guns out must typically post signs indicating that guns are not allowed. Gun advocates said the law violates rights upheld by the Supreme Court. “Now we’re going to let the pizzeria owner decide whether or not I can express my constitutional right,” said Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island. “This is a shame. See you in court.”
Associated Press/Report for America writer Maysoon Khan contributed to this report. Maysoon Khan is a member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative corps. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places reporters in local newsrooms to report on the hidden issues. Follow Maysoon Khan on Twitter.
