New York Tightens Its Strict Gun Laws in Democratic Show of Force

[NYC Liberal]

Source: NY Times

The State Legislature passed a broad package of gun bills that will raise the minimum age to buy a semiautomatic rifle to 21, ban most civilians from purchasing bullet-resistant body vests and revise the state’s so-called red flag laws, making New York the first state to approve legislation following shootings in Buffalo and Texas that left a total of 31 dead.

Lawmakers approved bills to broaden abortion protections and bolster voting rights, using the final hours of the 2022 legislative session to deliver the most robust response yet by a state in the face of federal gridlock.

Faced with a looming Supreme Court decision that could strike down Roe v. Wade, Democratic legislative leaders were fully behind a bill package aimed at protecting abortion service providers from legal or professional backlash, among other things.

Legislators also approved new measures to combat voter suppression under the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, invoking the former congressman and civil rights leader in a nod to the voting rights bill that failed to pass in Congress.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/nyregion/guns-abortion-laws-ny.html

[SergeStorms]

1. This will get the Trumpaholics riled up!

Who cares? Maybe they'll get so pissed off they'll all move out of the state. What a paradise that would be!

[SoCalDavidS]

2. The OPPOSITE Of A Shithole State nt

[LiberatedUSA]

3. If it must be raised, I'd make it 25 not 21.

21 is just getting to buy alcohol. 25 is a fully developed mind; or at least is supposed to be.

[soldierant]

5. I agree, and for the same reason.

[larwdem]

4. Thank you NY

[NullTuples]

6. Isn't NY the case the SCOTUS is about to rule on regarding concealed carry?

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

7. Yes

And they are likely to lose that case. The question now seems to be how broad will the ruling be. A narrow one is preferable. A broader one that establishes strict scrutiny or text, history, and tradition, as the review standard for gun laws would be bad. Strict scrutiny or THT would open up a lot of gun laws, including this one, to be challenged and overturned. Rumor has been that Thomas will be writing the opinion so prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

[markpkessinger]

10. It is, but none of these proposals conflict with that n/t

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

8. Why vests?

I am curious about the ban on bullet-resistant body vests.

I am sure some of the shooters wear them, but they can also be honestly used for self-defense (with no danger to anyone else). I recall EMTs I used to know talking about wearing ballistic protection for calls to violence-prone areas or to protect from non-lucid injured with hidden or makeshift weapons.

Who are they protecting by outlawing armor?

[NYC Liberal]

9. They aren't banning it completely. It's allowed for people

working in “eligible professions”, which can be designated by the NY Department of State. Presumably EMTs working in dangerous areas would be allowed.

A. 10497 (Jacobson)/S.9407-B (Kavanagh):

Makes unlawful the purchase and sale of body vests for anyone who is not engaged in an eligible profession. Eligible professions include law enforcement officers and other professions designated by the Department of State in consultation with other agencies. Also requires that any sale of a body vest be done in person

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-majority-leader-stewart-cousins-and-speaker-heastie-announce-introduction

[NullTuples]

11. What about bulletproof backpacks for kids? Apparently they're selling well.

Parents are terrified & although they aren't really likely to help, they are one of the solutions Republicans are offering.

[Woodwizard]

12. Until we have comprehensive federal laws

this is a bandaid, ideally all semi auto weapons should be banned it is hard to do a mass shooting with a bolt or lever action firearm.

Same goes for detachable magazines hard to continue shooting if you have to reload a internal magazine.

It is just baffling to me that I spent at least 2 weeks training in the army with a M16 before I ever live fired, but I can go to a gun shop and pick up a AR15 with no proof of training or knowledge of firearm safety and I do live in NY.

On base if we had a personal firearm it had to be secured in the arms room, cant have in your living space the military has a good handle on gun control.