New York lawmakers on Friday amended the state’s gun laws, banning citizens from carrying concealed weapons in several “sensitive places,” including Times Square, and requiring those seeking a gun permit to undergo more training and allow their social media accounts to be reviewed.
The bill is now expected to be signed by the state’s Democratic governor, Kathryn Hokul, and take effect on September 1.
New York lawmakers held an emergency session Thursday, a week after the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a state law that limited citizens’ right to carry concealed weapons in public. It consequently gave New Yorkers the right to go out armed from their homes.
Democrats in New York criticized the decision, saying it would increase gun violence, but moved to amend gun laws while trying to keep as many restrictions in place as possible.
Hokul pointed out that thanks to existing legislation, New York has the fifth lowest rate of gun deaths among the 50 US states.
“Our state will continue to keep New Yorkers safe, despite this setback from the Supreme Court,” he stressed during a news conference from Albany. “They may think they can change our lives with the flick of a pencil, but we also have pencils”.
The Supreme Court has indicated that it will accept the designation of courts, schools and government buildings as “sensitive places”, but will not accept the designation to be widely used. In its decision, it clearly stated that MPs cannot designate the entire island of Manhattan “sensitive space”.
According to the bill adopted in New York, “sensitive places” are considered: government buildings, clinics, hospitals, places of worship, libraries, playgrounds, parks, zoos, schools, universities, drug addiction treatment centers, homeless centers, the transportation network , museums, theaters, stadiums and other places where many people gather, but also Times Square.
Gross violation
The powerful pro-gun lobby NRA criticized the bill, saying it was a “blatant violation” of the Supreme Court’s ruling and that it raises more barriers to New Yorkers’ right to self-defense. It even hinted that it might challenge it in court.
The Supreme Court ruled that officials in New York have wide discretion in deciding which citizens can be licensed to carry concealed weapons. Citizens saw their request denied if they did not have a “special reason” to carry a weapon for self-defense.
Hokul agreed to drop that requirement, although New York’s new bill stipulates that an applicant’s “good moral character” will be reviewed by an official, a judge or police officer. At the same time, the applicant must provide contact information for immediate members of his family and the details of the adults with whom he lives.
Also under the bill citizens cannot enter companies and businesses carrying weapons unless there is a specific notice that specifically states that weapons are allowed.
Source: AMPE
Source: Capital
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