New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Alerts Gun Owners

TROY, NY (04/15/2008)(readMedia)-- The State Assembly’s yearly "gun control day" took place earlier this week. It’s that magical day of the year on which the Assembly takes leave of its senses and tries to limit our Second Amendment rights in the name of "safety" and "security" by passing gun control bills based on false premises such as:

• There is an epidemic of children being injured in firearms accidents in New York State. (There isn’t. Such accidents, while tragic, are at all-time lows.)

• Criminals and terrorists buy their guns from legitimate firearms dealers, just like law-abiding citizens. (Even politicians busy pandering to anti-gun lobbyists know better.)

• If we keep “bad” guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens then criminals and terrorists will not be able to obtain them. (If you believe that then we have a bridge in Brooklyn that we would like to sell you.)

Here are the bills just passed.

A-76, sponsored by State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-20). Requires the mandatory storage of all firearms and prohibits keeping loaded guns for personal protection unless they are in one’s "immediate possession or control." The bill does not define "immediate possession or control." The stated purpose of this bill is to protect children (isn’t that always the case?), but what it really does is strip New Yorkers of the right to defend themselves and their families in their own homes!

A-829, sponsored by State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-4). Prohibits firearms that can be operated by an average five year-old child, i.e., that do not contain a built-in childproofing device or mechanism. The mechanisms suggested include several that would render the firearm largely inoperable, such as the ability to make the trigger pull so heavy that a child – and many adults – could not operate the gun easily or shoot it accurately. Thus, this bill might – depending on how it is interpreted – ban the sale or resale of most currently legal firearms. Moreover, the bill leaves it up to the State Police – an organization that recent events have shown is subject to being co-opted for political purposes – to create the standards to be enforced. This is a sure sign that the bill’s purpose is to ban firearms, not make them safer.

A-2772, authored by State Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington (D-3). Bans the sale, use or possession of any firearm with a bore diameter of .50 inch or larger. While aimed primarily at rifles, shotguns are also mentioned in passing.

A-3447, introduced by State Assemblyman David Koon (D-135). Bans the sale or possession of frangible ammunition including common hunting rounds.

A-3451, introduced by State Assemblyman David Koon (D-135). Asks for a blank check to expand the COBIS database of fired cartridge cases. COBIS has existed for seven years, has spent $28 million, and has collected close to 200,000 shell casings. So far as we know it has yet to help solve a crime. Under "Fiscal Implications" the bill states "At this time the amount of funding necessary is unknown." Why would anyone want to expand this boondoggle?

A-6525A, sponsored by State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88). Adds record-keeping and security requirements far in excess of those required by the BATFE. While its stated purpose is to make it more difficult for criminals to obtain guns through legal commercial channels (!), its result will be to put even conscientious firearms dealers out of business. Portions of the bill are so vaguely worded that it may not be clear when it is being violated, leaving firearms dealers who make every attempt to comply liable if they legally sell a firearm that is some day used to commit a crime. That’s right – a federally and state licensed dealer may be held liable if a firearm sold legally is ever used in the commission of a crime! Moreover, the vague wording of the bill will allow the State Police to continue to add new requirements administratively, without requiring additional legislation.

A-7331, sponsored by State Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-61). Adds additional, irrelevant, design features to the definition of an "assault weapon." This bill would prohibit many semi-automatic pistols and rifles that accept detachable magazines, plus many pump-action shotguns. Examples: If you put a thumbhole stock on your .22 rifle, it becomes an "assault weapon!" If you own a compensated pistol used for action pistol competition, this bill makes it an "assault weapon!" If you are a bullseye pistol competitor using a five-shot European target pistol with a magazine forward of the trigger guard, you’re using an "assault weapon!"

A-9819A, authored by State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-16). Bans the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called "microstamping" technology. This is science fiction, not proven technology. The microstamping concept belongs to a single company which, not unexpectedly, has lobbied heavily for it. If it were to be implemented it could be defeated in minutes by any motivated criminal capable of disassembling a handgun in order to clean it.

The damage has been done in the Assembly. The bills just passed will unnecessarily limit the rights of law-abiding citizens, and will have no effect on criminal activity. The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association urges New York’s gun owners to contact their State senators to ask them to vote against these measures – and any others that may come up – when the Senate has its Gun Control Day. Call (518)455-2800 and ask to be connected to your State senator.

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