Add SS265.50 - 265.59, amd S400.00, Pen L; amd S396-ee, Gen Bus L
Enacts "Nicholas' law"; requires the safe storage of all weapons, either in a safe or with a locking device, and provides penalties for simple and complex violations (removal from premises, injury or death results); requires notices to be furnished upon transfer of weapons and issuance/renewal of licenses; defines weapons to mean rifles, shotguns and firearms; does not preempt local laws no less restrictive or stringent.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7822
IN SENATE
June 12, 2014
___________
Introduced by Sen. KLEIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law and the general business law, in relation
to safe weapon storage
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title; construction. 1. This act shall be known and
2 may be cited as "Nicholas's law".
3 2. The provisions of this act shall not be construed to preempt or
4 supersede any local law the provisions of which are no less stringent or
5 restrictive than the provisions of this act.
6 § 2. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds the following:
7 The presence of unsecured, easily accessible, weapons in homes and
8 other places increases the likelihood of death or injury from accidents
9 and impulsive acts. Guns left unattended must be kept locked or stored
10 securely to prevent access by children and others who should not have
11 access to them. Gun owners and other lawful possessors are responsible
12 for keeping their weapons from falling into the hands of children and
13 other unauthorized individuals.
14 § 3. The penal law is amended by adding ten new sections 265.50,
15 265.51, 265.52, 265.53, 265.54, 265.55, 265.56, 265.57, 265.58 and
16 265.59 to read as follows:
17 § 265.50 Definitions; safe weapon storage.
18 As used in sections 265.51 through 265.59 of this article, the follow-
19 ing terms shall have the following meanings:
20 1. "Person" includes a natural person, corporation, partnership,
21 limited liability company, or any other entity.
22 2. "Safe storage depository" means a safe or other secure container
23 which, when locked, is incapable of being opened without the key, combi-
24 nation, or other unlocking mechanism and is capable of preventing an
25 unauthorized person from obtaining access to and possession of the weap-
26 on contained therein. The division of state police shall develop and
27 promulgate rules and regulations setting forth the specific devices or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13076-05-4
S. 7822 2
1 the minimum standards and criteria therefor which constitute an effec-
2 tive safe storage depository.
3 3. "Weapon" means a "rifle", "shotgun", "firearm", "antique firearm",
4 or "machine gun".
5 § 265.51 Safe storage of weapons; applicability.
6 The provisions of section 265.52 of this article shall not apply to
7 any duly licensed manufacturer of weapons.
8 § 265.52 Failure to store a weapon safely in the second degree.
9 A person is guilty of failure to store a weapon safely in the second
10 degree when he or she owns or is a bailee or other knowing and voluntary
11 possessor of a weapon and stores or otherwise leaves a weapon out of his
12 or her immediate possession or control without having first securely
13 locked such weapon in an appropriate safe storage depository or rendered
14 it incapable of being fired by the use of a gun locking device appropri-
15 ate to that weapon.
16 Failure to store a weapon safely in the second degree is a violation.
17 § 265.53 Failure to store a weapon safely in the first degree.
18 A person is guilty of failure to store a weapon safely in the first
19 degree when he or she commits the offense of failure to store a weapon
20 safely in the second degree as defined in section 265.52 of this article
21 and has been previously convicted of the offense of failure to store a
22 weapon safely in the second degree as defined in section 265.52 of this
23 article within the preceding ten years.
24 Failure to store a weapon safely in the first degree is a class A
25 misdemeanor.
26 § 265.54 Aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the second
27 degree.
28 A person is guilty of aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in
29 the second degree when he or she commits the offense of failure to store
30 a weapon safely in the second degree as defined in section 265.52 of
31 this article and such weapon is removed by any other person from the
32 premises where it was stored unsafely.
33 Aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the second degree is a
34 class A misdemeanor.
35 § 265.55 Aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the first
36 degree.
37 A person is guilty of aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in
38 the first degree when he or she commits the offense of failure to store
39 a weapon safely in the second degree as defined in section 265.52 of
40 this article and such weapon discharges and thereby causes, directly or
41 indirectly, physical injury, serious physical injury, or death to any
42 other person.
43 Aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the first degree is a
44 class E felony.
45 § 265.56 Aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the first
46 degree; application.
47 If a person who is suspected of violating section 265.55 of this arti-
48 cle is the parent or guardian of a child who is injured or who dies as
49 the result of such violation, the district attorney shall consider,
50 among other factors, the impact of the injury or death on the person who
51 is suspected of violating section 265.55 of this article when deciding
52 whether or not to prosecute such person for such crime.
53 A parent or guardian of a child who is injured or who dies as a result
54 of a violation of section 265.55 of this article shall be prosecuted
55 only in those instances in which the parent or guardian behaved in a
56 reckless manner.
S. 7822 3
1 § 265.57 Failure to provide notice in the second degree.
2 No person shall sell, deliver, or transfer any weapon to another
3 person unless the transferee is provided at the time of sale, delivery,
4 or transfer with:
5 1. A gun locking device that is capable of preventing that particular
6 weapon from firing or a safe storage depository; and
7 2. A copy of the following warning in conspicuous and legible twenty-
8 four point type on eight and one-half inches by eleven inches paper
9 stating in bold print the following warning:
10 WARNING
11 RESPONSIBLE FIREARM STORAGE IS THE LAW IN NEW YORK STATE. FIREARMS MUST
12 EITHER BE STORED WITH A GUN LOCKING DEVICE OR IN A SAFE STORAGE DEPOSI-
13 TORY OR NOT BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF THE
14 OWNER OR OTHER LAWFUL POSSESSOR. FIREARMS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED AND
15 LOCKED IN A LOCATION SEPARATE FROM AMMUNITION. LEAVING FIREARMS ACCESSI-
16 BLE TO A CHILD OR OTHER PERSON MAY SUBJECT YOU TO IMPRISONMENT, FINE, OR
17 BOTH.
18 Failure to provide notice in the second degree is a violation.
19 § 265.58 Failure to provide notice in the first degree.
20 A person is guilty of failure to provide notice in the first degree
21 when he or she commits the offense of failure to provide notice in the
22 second degree as defined in section 265.57 of this article and has been
23 previously convicted of the offense of failure to provide notice in the
24 second degree as defined in section 265.57 of this article within the
25 preceding ten years.
26 Failure to provide notice in the first degree is a class B misdemea-
27 nor.
28 § 265.59 Suspension and revocation of a license to carry, possess,
29 repair or dispose of a firearm or firearms pursuant to
30 section 400.00 of this chapter and ineligibility for such a
31 license; order to surrender firearms.
32 1. Whenever (a) a person is convicted of failure to store a weapon
33 safely in the second degree under section 265.52 of this article or
34 aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the second degree under
35 section 265.54 of this article, and has a prior conviction of failure to
36 store a weapon safely in the second degree under section 265.52 of this
37 article or aggravated failure to store a weapon safely in the second
38 degree under section 265.54 of this article; or (b) a person is
39 convicted of failure to store a weapon safely in the first degree under
40 section 265.53 of this article or aggravated failure to store a weapon
41 safely in the first degree under section 265.55 of this article, the
42 court shall revoke any existing license possessed by such person, order
43 such person ineligible for such a license, and order the immediate
44 surrender pursuant to subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of subdivision a
45 of section 265.20 of this article and subdivision six of section 400.05
46 of this chapter, of any or all firearms owned or possessed, or suspend
47 or continue to suspend any such existing license possessed by such
48 person, order such person ineligible for such a license, and order the
49 immediate surrender pursuant to subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of
50 subdivision a of section 265.20 of this article and subdivision six of
51 section 400.05 of this chapter, of any or all firearms owned or
52 possessed.
53 2. Any suspension order issued pursuant to this section shall remain
54 in effect for five years.
55 3. (a) Whenever a person is convicted as provided in paragraph one of
56 this section, the court shall require the respondent to inform the court
S. 7822 4
1 of all firearms he or she owns or possesses. Any order to surrender one
2 or more firearms shall specify a date and time by which the surrender
3 shall be completed and, to the extent possible, shall describe such
4 firearms to be surrendered and shall direct the authority receiving such
5 surrendered firearms to immediately notify the court of such surrender.
6 (b) The prompt surrender of one or more firearms pursuant to a court
7 order issued pursuant to this section shall be considered a voluntary
8 surrender for purposes of subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of subdivi-
9 sion a of section 265.20 of this article. The disposition of any such
10 firearms shall be in accordance with the provisions of subdivision six
11 of section 400.05 of this chapter.
12 (c) The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to limit,
13 restrict or otherwise impair the authority of the court to order and
14 direct the surrender of any or all pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns
15 or other firearms owned or possessed by a respondent pursuant to this
16 chapter.
17 4. (a) The court revoking or suspending the license, ordering a person
18 ineligible for such license, or ordering the surrender of any firearm as
19 provided in this section shall immediately notify the duly constituted
20 police authorities of the locality of such action and the division of
21 state police at its office in the city of Albany.
22 (b) Where an order of revocation, suspension, ineligibility, or
23 surrender is modified or vacated, the court shall immediately notify the
24 duly constituted police authorities of the locality concerning such
25 action and shall give written notice thereof without unnecessary delay
26 to the division of state police at its office in the city of Albany.
27 5. The respondent shall have the right to a hearing before the court
28 regarding any revocation, suspension, ineligibility or surrender order
29 issued pursuant to this section, provided that nothing in this subdivi-
30 sion shall preclude the court from issuing any such order prior to a
31 hearing. Where the court has issued such an order prior to a hearing, it
32 shall commence such hearing within fourteen days of the date such order
33 was issued.
34 § 4. Section 400.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
35 vision 18 to read as follows:
36 18. Upon the issuance or renewal of a license, the licensing officer
37 shall issue therewith the following notice in conspicuous and legible
38 twenty-four point type on eight and one-half inches by eleven inches
39 paper stating in bold print the following:
40 WARNING
41 RESPONSIBLE FIREARM STORAGE IS THE LAW IN NEW YORK STATE. FIREARMS MUST
42 EITHER BE STORED WITH A GUN LOCKING DEVICE OR IN A SAFE STORAGE DEPOSI-
43 TORY OR NOT BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF THE
44 OWNER OR OTHER LAWFUL POSSESSOR. FIREARMS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED AND
45 LOCKED IN A LOCATION SEPARATE FROM AMMUNITION. LEAVING FIREARMS ACCESSI-
46 BLE TO A CHILD OR OTHER PERSON MAY SUBJECT YOU TO IMPRISONMENT, FINE, OR
47 BOTH.
48 § 5. Subdivision 2 of section 396-ee of the general business law, as
49 added by chapter 189 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
50 (2) Every person, firm or corporation engaged in the retail business
51 of selling rifles, shotguns or firearms, as such terms are defined in
52 section 265.00 of the penal law, shall, in the place where such rifles,
53 shotguns or firearms are displayed or transferred to the purchaser, post
54 a notice conspicuously stating in bold print that: ["The use of a lock-
55 ing device or safety lock is only one aspect of responsible firearm
56 storage. For increased safety firearms should be stored unloaded and
S. 7822 5
1 locked in a location that is both separate from their ammunition and
2 inaccessible to children and any other unauthorized person."] "RESPONSI-
3 BLE FIREARM STORAGE IS THE LAW IN NEW YORK STATE. FIREARMS MUST EITHER
4 BE STORED WITH A GUN LOCKING DEVICE OR IN A SAFE STORAGE DEPOSITORY OR
5 NOT BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF THE OWNER OR
6 OTHER LAWFUL POSSESSOR. FIREARMS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED AND LOCKED
7 IN A LOCATION SEPARATE FROM AMMUNITION. LEAVING FIREARMS ACCESSIBLE TO A
8 CHILD OR OTHER PERSON MAY SUBJECT YOU TO IMPRISONMENT, FINE, OR BOTH."
9 § 6. If any word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or
10 part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdic-
11 tion to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or invali-
12 date the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to
13 the words, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part thereof
14 directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have
15 been rendered.
16 § 7. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
17 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
