The New York state legislature passed new gun-control legislation and started the process of protecting abortion rights in the state constitution, in an extraordinary session that ended late Friday.
New York tightens gun laws, revisits abortion rights after SCOTUS rulings
“We’re here because of a set of Supreme Court rulings that came down literally in the last day or two of session,” said Hochul, who signed the firearms bill into law, at a news conference Friday. “And there, it was heartbreaking. It was a difficult week for our nation.”
The new firearms legislation restricts people from carrying handguns in public, prohibiting them in locations including schools, libraries and parks. It also bars bringing concealed firearms into private businesses, unless the business expressly agrees. Conceal-carry permit applicants must also pass firearm training courses, a requirement that was previously only in place in a few counties.
“We are creating a definitive list of sensitive locations where individuals will not be able to carry firearms,” Hochul told reporters.
New York was forced to narrow its regulations after the Supreme Court ruled that the law was too restrictive. The justices said in a 6-to-3 decision that the century-old law, which required New Yorkers to demonstrate proof that they need to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense, was too broad and gave too much discretion to government officials.
Justice Clarence Thomas, who wrote the ruling, affirmed that authorities could still restrict citizens from bearing arms in specific “sensitive places,” such as schools and government buildings. But a blanket ban on guns in entire areas such as the whole island of Manhattan was too broad, he said.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) expressed confidence that the new law would stand up to potential legal challenges. Republican Sen. Andrew Lanza, who represents the conservative stronghold of Staten Island, called the legislation radical. So many places are now designated sensitive that the law effectively means residents cannot carry concealed weapons, he said. “It’s a big laugh. It’s a big joke … Arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, all with one attempt.”
The Assembly and Senate on Friday also passed an Equal Rights Amendment that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution in the event it becomes law. Changing the constitution requires an amendment to be passed at two separate legislative sessions, as well as a green light from voters. The legislature is set to next convene in 2023, after the November midterms.
Both houses of the state legislature are controlled by Democrats. Republicans were squarely opposed to the firearms law, but seven of their 20 senators voted in favor of the constitutional amendment.
“The Supreme Court’s decisions were certainly setbacks,” Hochul said. “But we view them as only temporary setbacks, because I refuse … to surrender my right as governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence or any other form of harm.”
Source: WP
