Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul is championing the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which critics say is burdensome and an infringement on numerous constitutional rights.
Following a Supreme Court decision in June striking down New York’s concealed carry restrictions as unconstitutional, state Democrats and Hochul moved to crack down further on gun rights, seemingly in direct defiance of the “reckless” decision.
“In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down New York’s century-old concealed carry law, we took swift and thoughtful action to keep New Yorkers safe,” Hochul said in a press release. “I refuse to surrender my right as Governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence or any other form of harm. In New York State, we will continue leading the way forward and implementing common sense gun safety legislation.”
The CCIA requires New Yorkers applying for gun permits to provide all their social media accounts from the past three years, sparking concern over political bias in the approval process.
The legislation also bans guns from dozens of location types in New York, including churches, restaurants serving alcohol, public transportation, theaters, and public sidewalks.
Electronic billboards in midtown, announcing that Times Square is a gun-free zone pic.twitter.com/Id9BHjXue6
— Kate Hinds (@katehinds) August 31, 2022
“Effective September 1, 2022, the possession of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun is prohibited in sensitive locations,” a press release from the governor said, highlighting the following as “sensitive locations”:
- Any location owned or under control of federal, state, or local government for the purpose of government administration, including courts;
- Any location providing health, behavioral health, or chemical dependence care or services;
- Places of worship or religious observation;
- Libraries, public playgrounds, public parks, and zoos;
- NYS Office of Children and Family Service licensed or funded facilities (childcare facilities);
- Nursery schools, preschools, summer camps;
- NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities licensed or funded facilities;
- NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports licensed or funded facilities;
- NYS Office of Mental Health licensed or funded facilities;
- NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance licensed or funded facilities;
- Homeless shelters, family shelters, domestic violence shelters;
- NYS Department of Health licensed or funded residential facilities;
- Colleges, universities, private schools, public schools, and other educational institutions;
- Public transportation and transit facilities;
- Bars and restaurants serving alcohol, and on-premises cannabis consumption locations;
- Theaters, stadiums, racetracks, museums, amusement parks, performance venues, concert halls, exhibit halls, conference centers, banquet halls, gaming facilities, video lottery terminal facilities as licensed by the gaming commission;
- Polling places;
- Public sidewalks and other public areas that are restricted from general public access for a limited time or special event;
- Gatherings of people to collectively express their constitutional rights to assemble or protest; and
- Times Square (with boundaries determined by New York City).
Gun Owners of America (GOA), a gun rights group suing the state over the legislation, said the CCIA “would essentially make all of NY a gun free zone and infringes upon the rights of its citizens.”
“New York state is blatantly citing racist and discriminatory laws in defense of their new Concealed Carry law,” the group said via Twitter on Wednesday. “GOA sued the state, and we hope to get an injunction TODAY!”
WATCH: New York state is blatantly citing racist and discriminatory laws in defense of their new Concealed Carry law, which would essentially make all of NY a gun free zone and infringes upon the rights of its citizens.
GOA sued the state, and we hope to get an injunction TODAY! pic.twitter.com/H3QaJlcORZ
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) August 31, 2022
A federal judge on Wednesday sided with New York, asserting that GOA and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) did not have standing to represent their members in court, The Hill reported. The groups are expected to appeal to the U.S. Second Circuit Court.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) in July slammed the legislation, too, claiming New York State officials were “defying” the Supreme Court ruling and continuing “to conflate law-abiding license holders with the unlicensed scofflaws behind the surge in violent crime.”