Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

New York: Further Infringements Avoided as Session Comes to an End

Friday, June 24, 2016

New York: Further Infringements Avoided as Session Comes to an End

Legislators concluded the 2016 Legislative Session last weekend as Friday, June 17, turned into Saturday morning in Albany.  Lawmakers typically force a long list of bills through the process in a short amount of time in the waning hours of session, and this is the time of year to be hyper-vigilant.  Like the SAFE Act, much of this legislation goes through in the middle of the night with little or no public input or attention. 

As the frenzied end of session came to a close, your NRA-ILA is happy to report that gun owners were spared this session from additional damage.  Despite the fact that anti-gun politicians secured one of the toughest gun control laws in the country with the passage of the SAFE Act in 2013, they will never be completely satisfied until guns are completely banned in the Empire State.  The dozens of anti-gun bills introduced this year are proof of that.  Groups like New Yorkers Against Gun Violence unbelievably claim there aren’t enough gun control laws, and they continue to push for more restrictions on your Second Amendment rights. 

The 2016 session had no shortage of gun control bills.  Three bills headlined the push from anti-gun groups in Albany, and NRA vigorously fought these bills, in addition to others.  S.2050A, sponsored by state Senator Daniel Squadron, would have banned .50 Caliber rifles, even though this firearm is virtually never used in the commission of a crime.  Bill sponsors certainly can’t point to an example in New York.  Fortunately, the bill did not move and failed to clear the Senate Codes Committee.  Legislation requiring mandatory storage of firearms was also defeated in the Senate Codes Committee in March.  S.2491, sponsored by state Senator Liz Krueger would have given criminals a distinct advantage in self-defense situations by forcing gun owners to keep their firearms under lock and key.  Another dangerous bill was S.6279, sponsored by state Senator Jeffrey Klein.  This legislation would block individuals from buying guns if their name appears on the “federal no fly list or terrorist screening database.”  Unfortunately, names are routinely mistakenly placed on this secret government list without a clear restoration process for getting your name removed.  This type of blacklisting without due process is an affront to the constitutional values we hold as Americans.  Fortunately, this bill also failed to advance in the Senate Codes Committee. 

Ultimately, this November’s election is going to be critical if gun owners are to hold their ground in New York.  Three years removed from passage of the SAFE Act, it’s been an embarrassing failure for Governor Andrew Cuomo and his anti-gun extremists at the Statehouse.  The two legislative architects of the bill are not only out of the Legislature, but they were sentenced to prison this year.  The 7-round magazine restriction has effectively been nullified by the courts and the provision requiring background checks on ammunition was neutered by a memorandum of understanding signed last summer between the Governor and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan. 

Again, thank you to all those NRA members and Second Amendment supporters who contacted lawmakers during the 2016 session.  Your voice makes a difference.  Rest assured, we will be fighting many of these same battles again next January.

TRENDING NOW
One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

News  

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

Earlier today the U.S. Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and “any ...

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

News  

Saturday, June 28, 2025

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

Overnight, the U.S. Senate added pro-gun tax relief language back into the Reconciliation bill after the Senate Parliamentarian struck out an earlier provision.  While this new provision is not as expansive as the language we advocated for which ...

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

News  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, ...

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

NFA Tax on Suppressors, Short-Barreled Firearms, and Other Arms Reduced to $0

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

Just over an hour away from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan – even as lawmakers worked feverishly to pass various gun control measures, including expansion of “gun free” zones – a chilling reminder unfolded of the ...

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

The U.S. Senate has cleared a number of procedural hurdles and is preparing to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill. This vote will likely come within the next day. The One Big Beautiful Bill includes ...

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

Canada’s Liberal government is pressing on with its harebrained gun ban and confiscation program for “assault style weapons,” but, true to form and precedents, it has been far from smooth sailing.

U.S. Senate Forced to Remove Pro-Gun Language from Reconciliation Bill

News  

Friday, June 27, 2025

U.S. Senate Forced to Remove Pro-Gun Language from Reconciliation Bill

Today, the U.S. Senate was forced to remove the pro-gun language that had been previously included in the Reconciliation Bill currently making its way through the chamber. We explained in a previous article that this language would, ...

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Recently, House Bill 193 (H193) was reported favorably out of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with amendments.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.