Bill Text: NY A05087 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Authorizes the transfer of certain weapons from an estate to an immediate member of the decedent's family; expands definition of immediate family to include siblings, grandparents and grandchildren as such term relates to the sale or disposal of certain firearms; relates to the filing of approved applications for licenses for the possession of firearms; exempts certain large capacity ammunition feeding devices from certain requirements of the penal law; repeals provisions of law prohibiting the possession of certain large capacity ammunition feeding devices; and repeals provisions of law relating to certain requirements for the sellers of ammunition.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-07-17 - held for consideration in codes [A05087 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A05087-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          5087
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    February 7, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by M. of A. DiPIETRO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Codes
        AN  ACT  to amend the penal law, in relation to authorizing the transfer
          of certain weapons from an  estate  to  an  immediate  member  of  the
          decedent's  family;  to amend the general business law, in relation to
          expanding the definition of  immediate  family  to  include  siblings,
          grandparents  and  grandchildren  as  such term relates to the private
          sale or disposal of certain firearms;  to  amend  the  penal  law,  in
          relation to the filing of approved applications for licenses to carry,
          possess,  repair  and  dispose of firearms; to amend the penal law, in
          relation to certain large  capacity  ammunition  feeding  devices;  to
          repeal   section  265.37  of  the  penal  law,  relating  to  unlawful
          possession of  certain  ammunition  feeding  devices;  and  to  repeal
          section 400.03 of the penal law relating to sellers of ammunition
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Paragraph (g) of subdivision 22 of section  265.00  of  the
     2  penal  law  is  amended  by  adding  a new subparagraph (vii) to read as
     3  follows:
     4    (vii) any weapon legally possessed and validly registered pursuant  to
     5  subdivision  sixteen-a  of  section 400.00 of this chapter prior to such
     6  person's death and bequeathed or passed through intestacy to an  immedi-
     7  ate  family member of the deceased. Such weapons shall be subject to the
     8  provisions of paragraph (h) of this subdivision. For  purposes  of  this
     9  subparagraph,  the  meaning  of immediate family member is as defined by
    10  subdivision one of section eight hundred  ninety-eight  of  the  general
    11  business law;
    12    §  2.  Paragraph  (h) of subdivision 22 of section 265.00 of the penal
    13  law, as added by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, is amended  to  read  as
    14  follows:
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03844-01-9

        A. 5087                             2
     1    (h) (i) Any weapon defined in paragraph (e) or (f) of this subdivision
     2  and  any  large  capacity  ammunition  feeding  device  that was legally
     3  possessed by an individual prior to [the enactment of the chapter of the
     4  laws of two  thousand  thirteen  which  added  this  paragraph]  January
     5  fifteenth, two thousand thirteen, may only be sold to, exchanged with or
     6  disposed  of  to a purchaser authorized to possess such weapons or to an
     7  individual or entity outside of the state provided that any such  trans-
     8  fer  to an individual or entity outside of the state must be reported to
     9  the entity wherein the weapon is registered within seventy-two hours  of
    10  such  transfer.  An  individual  who  transfers any such weapon or large
    11  capacity ammunition device to an individual inside  New  York  state  or
    12  without  complying with the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty
    13  of a class A misdemeanor unless such large capacity  ammunition  feeding
    14  device,  the possession of which is made illegal by [the] chapter one of
    15  the laws of two thousand  thirteen  [which  added  this  paragraph],  is
    16  transferred within one year [of the effective date of the chapter of the
    17  laws  of  two  thousand  thirteen which added this paragraph] of January
    18  fifteenth, two thousand fourteen.
    19    (ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (i) of this  para-
    20  graph,  any  weapon  defined in paragraph (e) or (f) of this subdivision
    21  that was legally possessed and validly registered by an individual prior
    22  to his or her death may be transferred by the estate of such  individual
    23  to  one  of  his  or  her immediate family members. For purposes of this
    24  subparagraph, the meaning of immediate family member is  as  defined  by
    25  subdivision  one  of  section  eight hundred ninety-eight of the general
    26  business law.
    27    § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 898 of  the  general  business  law,  as
    28  added by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
    29    1.  In addition to any other requirements pursuant to state and feder-
    30  al  law,  all sales, exchanges or disposals of firearms, rifles or shot-
    31  guns shall be conducted in accordance  with  this  section  unless  such
    32  sale, exchange or disposal is conducted by a licensed importer, licensed
    33  manufacturer  or licensed dealer, as those terms are defined in 18 USC §
    34  [922] 921, when such sale, exchange or disposal is conducted pursuant to
    35  that person's  federal  firearms  license  or  such  sale,  exchange  or
    36  disposal is between members of an immediate family. For purposes of this
    37  section, "immediate family" shall mean spouses, domestic partners, chil-
    38  dren and step-children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren.
    39    §  4.  Subdivision 5 of section 400.00 of the penal law, as amended by
    40  chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
    41    5. Filing of approved applications.  [(a)]  The  application  for  any
    42  license,  if  granted,  shall be filed by the licensing officer with the
    43  clerk of the county of issuance, except that in the  city  of  New  York
    44  and,  in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, the licensing officer shall
    45  designate the place of filing in the  appropriate  division,  bureau  or
    46  unit  of the police department thereof, and in the county of Suffolk the
    47  county clerk is hereby authorized to transfer all  records  or  applica-
    48  tions  relating  to  firearms to the licensing authority of that county.
    49  [Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (f) of  this  subdivision,
    50  the  name  and  address]  The  application  and  any supporting records,
    51  including any information contained therein, of any person  to  whom  an
    52  application  for  any  license  has  been  granted shall not be a public
    53  record and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to article six of
    54  the public officers law.  Upon application by a licensee who has changed
    55  his or her place of residence such  records  or  applications  shall  be
    56  transferred  to  the  appropriate officer at the licensee's new place of

        A. 5087                             3
     1  residence. A duplicate copy of such application shall be  filed  by  the
     2  licensing officer in the executive department, division of state police,
     3  Albany,  within  ten days after issuance of the license. The superinten-
     4  dent of state police may designate that such application shall be trans-
     5  mitted  to the division of state police electronically. In the event the
     6  superintendent of the division of state police determines that it  lacks
     7  any  of  the  records  required  to  be  filed with the division, it may
     8  request that such records be provided to it by  the  appropriate  clerk,
     9  department  or  authority  and such clerk, department or authority shall
    10  provide the division with such records. In the event such clerk, depart-
    11  ment or authority lacks such  records,  the  division  may  request  the
    12  license  holder provide information sufficient to constitute such record
    13  and such license holder shall provide the division  with  such  informa-
    14  tion.  Such  information  shall be limited to the license holder's name,
    15  date of birth, gender, race, residential address, social security number
    16  and firearms possessed by said license holder. Nothing in this  subdivi-
    17  sion  shall  be  construed to change the expiration date or term of such
    18  licenses  if  otherwise  provided  for  in  law.  Records  assembled  or
    19  collected  for purposes of inclusion in the database established by this
    20  section shall be released pursuant to a court order.  Records  assembled
    21  or  collected for purposes of inclusion in the database created pursuant
    22  to section 400.02 of this [chapter] article  shall  not  be  subject  to
    23  disclosure pursuant to article six of the public officers law.
    24    [(b)  Each application for a license pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
    25  subdivision shall include, on a separate written form  prepared  by  the
    26  division of state police within thirty days of the effective date of the
    27  chapter  of  the  laws  of  two  thousand  thirteen,  which amended this
    28  section, and provided to the applicant at the same time and in the  same
    29  manner  as  the application for a license, an opportunity for the appli-
    30  cant to request an exception from his  or  her  application  information
    31  becoming  public  record  pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
    32  Such forms, which shall also be made available to  individuals  who  had
    33  applied for or been granted a license prior to the effective date of the
    34  chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen which amended this section,
    35  shall notify applicants that, upon discovery that an applicant knowingly
    36  provided  false  information, such applicant may be subject to penalties
    37  pursuant to section 175.30 of this chapter, and further, that his or her
    38  request for an exception shall be null and void, provided  that  written
    39  notice  containing  such  determination  is  provided  to the applicant.
    40  Further, such forms shall provide each applicant an opportunity to spec-
    41  ify the grounds on which he or  she  believes  his  or  her  application
    42  information should not be publicly disclosed. These grounds, which shall
    43  be identified on the application with a box beside each for checking, as
    44  applicable, by the applicant, shall be as follows:
    45    (i)  the  applicant's  life  or safety may be endangered by disclosure
    46  because:
    47    (A) the applicant is an active or retired police officer, peace  offi-
    48  cer, probation officer, parole officer, or corrections officer;
    49    (B)  the applicant is a protected person under a currently valid order
    50  of protection;
    51    (C) the applicant is or was a witness in a criminal proceeding involv-
    52  ing a criminal charge;
    53    (D) the applicant is participating or  previously  participated  as  a
    54  juror  in  a criminal proceeding, or is or was a member of a grand jury;
    55  or

        A. 5087                             4

     1    (E) the applicant is a spouse, domestic partner or household member of
     2  a person identified in this subparagraph or subparagraph  (ii)  of  this
     3  paragraph,  specifying  which  subparagraph or subparagraphs and clauses
     4  apply.
     5    (ii) the applicant has reason to believe his or her life or safety may
     6  be endangered by disclosure due to reasons stated by the applicant.
     7    (iii)  the applicant has reason to believe he or she may be subject to
     8  unwarranted harassment upon disclosure of such information.
     9    (c) Each form provided for recertification pursuant to  paragraph  (b)
    10  of  subdivision ten of this section shall include an opportunity for the
    11  applicant to request an exception from the information provided on  such
    12  form  becoming  public record pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
    13  sion. Such forms shall notify applicants that, upon  discovery  that  an
    14  applicant  knowingly  provided  false information, such applicant may be
    15  subject to penalties pursuant to section 175.30  of  this  chapter,  and
    16  further,  that  his  or  her  request for an exception shall be null and
    17  void, provided that written  notice  containing  such  determination  is
    18  provided to the applicant. Further, such forms shall provide each appli-
    19  cant  an opportunity to either decline to request the grant or continua-
    20  tion of an exception, or specify the grounds on which he or she believes
    21  his or her information should not be publicly disclosed. These  grounds,
    22  which  shall be identified in the application with a box beside each for
    23  checking, as applicable, by the applicant, shall be the same as provided
    24  in paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
    25    (d) Information submitted on the forms described in paragraph  (b)  of
    26  this subdivision shall be excepted from disclosure and maintained by the
    27  entity  retaining  such  information  separate  and apart from all other
    28  records.
    29    (e) (i) Upon receiving a request for exception  from  disclosure,  the
    30  licensing  officer  shall  grant  such  exception, unless the request is
    31  determined to be null and void, pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this
    32  subdivision.
    33    (ii) A request for an exception from disclosure may  be  submitted  at
    34  any time, including after a license or recertification has been granted.
    35    (iii)  If an exception is sought and granted pursuant to paragraph (b)
    36  of this subdivision, the application information  shall  not  be  public
    37  record,  unless  the  request  is  determined to be null and void. If an
    38  exception is sought and granted pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdi-
    39  vision, the  information  concerning  such  recertification  application
    40  shall  not be public record, unless the request is determined to be null
    41  and void.
    42    (f) The information of licensees or applicants for a license shall not
    43  be disclosed to the public during the  first  one  hundred  twenty  days
    44  following  the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand
    45  thirteen, which amended this section. After such period, the information
    46  of those who had applied for or been granted  a  license  prior  to  the
    47  preparation  of  the form for requesting an exception, pursuant to para-
    48  graph (b) of this subdivision, may be released only if such  individuals
    49  did not file a request for such an exception during the first sixty days
    50  following  such  preparation;  provided,  however,  that  no information
    51  contained in an application for licensure or  recertification  shall  be
    52  disclosed  by  an  entity  that  has  not  completed processing any such
    53  requests received during such sixty days.
    54    (g) If a request for an exception is determined to be  null  and  void
    55  pursuant  to  paragraph (b) or (c) of this subdivision, an applicant may
    56  request review of such determination pursuant to  article  seventy-eight

        A. 5087                             5

     1  of  the  civil  practice  laws  and rules. Such proceeding must commence
     2  within thirty days after service of the written  notice  containing  the
     3  adverse  determination. Notice of the right to commence such a petition,
     4  and  the  time  period  therefor, shall be included in the notice of the
     5  determination. Disclosure following such a petition shall  not  be  made
     6  prior to the disposition of such review.]
     7    §  5.  Subdivision  a of section 265.20 of the penal law is amended by
     8  adding a new paragraph 11-a to read as follows:
     9    11-a. Possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device  by  an
    10  individual  who  legally possessed the large capacity ammunition feeding
    11  device before April fifteenth, two thousand thirteen.
    12    § 6. Section 265.37 of the penal law is REPEALED.
    13    § 7. Section 400.03 of the penal law is REPEALED.
    14    § 8.  Any funds or portion of funds allocated in the state  budget  or
    15  otherwise  appropriated  to  any  office,  agency  or department for the
    16  purpose of implementing the provisions of section 400.03  of  the  penal
    17  law  repealed  by  this act shall be reallocated or appropriated for the
    18  purpose of hiring school resource officers  in  public  schools  in  the
    19  state.
    20    §  9.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
    21  the provisions of section four of this act shall take effect  the  first
    22  of  November  next  succeeding  the date on which it shall have become a
    23  law; and provided, further, that the provisions of section five of  this
    24  act  shall  be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after
    25  January 15, 2014.
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