ALBANY, New York –
New York would require gun license applicants to turn in a list of their social media accounts so officials can verify their “character and conduct” under a bill being considered by the legislature Friday. state.
The provision was part of a proposed redesign of the state’s firearms licensing laws drafted by lawmakers after the US Supreme Court struck down rules that severely limited who could obtain a permit to carry a firearm. fire outside your home.
A bill introduced by Democratic leaders would remove the most stringent barriers to obtaining a permit, but also impose new requirements on applicants.
Among the requirements: Applicants would have to show that they have “the essential character, temperament and judgment necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger themselves or others,” according to the bill.
And as part of that evaluation of good character, the bill says, the applicant must submit a list of the social media accounts they have had in the last three years “to confirm information about the applicant’s character and conduct.” .
Applicants would also have to provide four character references, take 16 hours of firearms safety training plus two hours of practice at a shooting range, undergo regular background checks and provide contact information for their spouse, partner de facto or any other adult living in your household. .
The bill did not specify whether applicants would be required to provide licensing officers with access to private social media accounts that are not visible to the general public.
The idea that the state would allow licensing officials to review an applicant’s speech as a condition of obtaining a license angered gun rights advocates.
“This is the kind of bill the Gestapo would be proud of. This is the kind of bill you would see in communist China,” said Aaron Dorr, executive director of the New York State Firearms Association. “This will never survive a court challenge. This is the kind of concept that would happen in those countries.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, released the text of the legislation early Friday as the legislature continued a special legislative session called to review its century-old rules for carrying guns in public.
The Supreme Court ruling struck down a previous rule that required people to demonstrate an unusual threat to their safety to obtain a license to carry a firearm outside their homes. That restriction generally limited licenses to people who had worked in law enforcement or had another special need that went beyond routine public safety concerns.
Under the new system, the state would not authorize permits for people with criminal convictions in the last five years for driving while intoxicated, threats or assault in the third degree.
People also would not be allowed to carry firearms in a long list of “sensitive places,” including New York City’s tourist-packed Times Square.
That list also includes schools, universities, government buildings, places where people have gathered for public protests, health centers, places of worship, libraries, parks and public parks, day care centers, summer camps, addiction and mental health centers, shelters, public transportation, bars, theaters, stadiums, museums, polling stations, and casinos.
New York would also prohibit people from bringing guns into any business or workplace unless owners post signs saying guns are welcome. People who bring weapons to places without such a sign could be prosecuted for serious crimes.
That’s a reverse approach to many other states where businesses that want to keep guns out are generally required to post signs stating that guns are not allowed.
Gun advocates said the bill infringes on 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 disgrace. See you in court. Everyone knows this is unconstitutional. Everyone knows this is just a ruse. Another attempt to tell the people of New York State, ‘We don’t trust you.'”
The bill would also fix a recently passed law that prohibited the sale of some types of bulletproof vests to the general public, but inadvertently left out many types of bulletproof vests, including the type worn by a gunman who killed 10 Black people. in a racist act. Attack on a Buffalo supermarket.
Democratic lawmakers, who control vast majorities in both legislative chambers, hope to pass the bill later on Friday. The bill would then be sent to Hochul’s desk for his expected signature and would then go into effect on September 1.