In two days, starting Thursday, September 1, 2022, there will be some major changes to how New York State residents can obtain a concealed carry license. After the Supreme Court's decision that New York's concealed carry law was unconstitutional, the state passed several new gun laws.

The Supreme Court Struck Down New York State's Concealed Carry Law

Two men in New York took their case to the highest court in the United States after being denied concealed carry permits.

Robert Nash and Brandon Koch each applied for a concealed-carry firearm license for the purpose of self-defense. The licensing officer denied both applications, finding that neither individual met the proper cause standard required by New York law in order to issue a firearms license for general self-defense. New York courts have defined proper cause as requiring the applicant to “demonstrate a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community.

The men from Rensselaer County initially took their case to lower courts, which did not find in their favor. They say that their Second Amendment rights were violated by New York State law. The pair appealed to the Supreme Court on December 17, 2020. The Supreme Court ruled in their favor.

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What Has Changed With New York's Pistol Application?

Gun Training Course Requirement

If you want to get your pistol permit now you will need to complete gun training,

Concealed carry firearm safety training must include 16 hours of in-person live classroom instruction conducted by a Duly Authorized Instructor.

The course must cover gun safety, range safety rules, firearm safe storage requirements, state and federal gun laws, concealed carry situational awareness of surroundings, and conflict de-escalation tactics.

Must Take And Pass A Written Test

You will need to take and pass a written test in order to get your permit. After taking the 16-hour training course, you must pass a written test and get 80 percent of the answers correct.

Take Live Firearm Training

Pistol permit applicants must take live firearm training by a Duly Authorized Instructor that covers range safety, safe drawing, target acquisition, and re-holstering, and safe loading and unloading of ammunition, among other topics.

Take And Pass A Live-Fire Proficiency Assessment

After the two-hour live training course, a pistol permit applicant must take a live assessment.

Provide Access To Social Media Accounts

Under the law, applicants have to provide local officials with a list of current and former social media accounts from the previous three years. It will be up to local sheriff’s staff, judges or country clerks to scroll through those profiles as they check whether applicants have made statements suggesting dangerous behavior.

 

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When the new gun safety bills passed, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said,

Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart. Thoughts and prayers won't fix this, but taking strong action will. In New York, we're taking bold steps to protect the people of our state. I am proud to sign a comprehensive bill package that prohibits the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people under 21, bans body armor sales outside of people in select professions, closes critical gun law loopholes and strengthens our Red Flag Law to keep guns away from dangerous people—new measures that I believe will save lives.

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New York State Has Now Banned Certain Types Of Toy Guns

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New York has banned certain imitation guns. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. Toy or imitation guns are now required to be easily identified to help prevent them from being used to commit crimes. It also allows makes it easier for law enforcement to identify them if they are used in a crime. Read more here.

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