A07414 Summary:

BILL NOA07414
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORSillitti
 
COSPNSRSeawright
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §400.00, add §265.02-d, Pen L
 
Prohibits firearms in polling places; establishes the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in a polling; makes it a class E felony to possess a rifle, shotgun, or firearm in or within 100 feet of a polling place on the day of a primary, special or general election or while early voting is in progress.
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A07414 Actions:

BILL NOA07414
 
05/07/2021referred to codes
01/05/2022referred to codes
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A07414 Committee Votes:

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A07414 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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A07414 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7414
 
SPONSOR: Sillitti
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of criminal possession of a weapon in a polling place   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: This bill prohibits the carrying of a rifle, shotgun or firearm at any polling place within the state on the day of a primary, special or general election or while early voting   SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Section 1. Amends penal law 400, subdivision 6, which relates to the licensing of firearms, by providing that a license issued pursuant to this section does not authorize the holder of such license to carry a pistol or revolver into any polling place on the day of an election or while early voting is occurring. Section 2. Amends the penal law by adding a new section 265.01-d, estab- lishing the crime of criminal possession of a weapon at a polling place. Designates the new crime as a class E felony. Section 3 provides an immediate effective date.   JUSTIFICATION: This bill will ensure the safety and security of all voters and election workers while at their polling place by prohibiting the carrying of weapons at the polling site during any election or while early voting is in progress. Importantly, this bill will ensure that voters and election workers are not intimidated while voting or while waiting to vote by persons displaying or carrying firearms within the polling location. Several states, including Texas, Mississippi, Florida and California, already prohibit licensees from possessing or carrying their weapons in or near any polling place. Further, in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court acknowledged the constitutionality of laws prohibiting carrying of firearms in "sensitive places such as schools and government buildings". The holding of elections is foundational to our democracy, and no voter should ever be intimidated or deterred from participating in their civil duties.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the State   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
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A07414 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          7414
 
                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       May 7, 2021
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. SILLITTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Codes
 
        AN  ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the crime of
          criminal possession of a weapon in a polling place
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Subdivision  6  of  section  400.00  of the penal law, as
     2  amended by chapter 104 of the laws  of  2019,  is  amended  to  read  as
     3  follows:
     4    6.  License:  validity.  Any  license  issued pursuant to this section
     5  shall be valid notwithstanding the provisions of any local law or  ordi-
     6  nance.    No  license shall be transferable to any other person or prem-
     7  ises. A license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver, not  otherwise
     8  limited as to place or time of possession, shall be effective throughout
     9  the  state,  except  that the same shall not be valid within the city of
    10  New York unless a special permit granting  validity  is  issued  by  the
    11  police  commissioner  of  that city. A license issued under this section
    12  does not authorize any person to carry a pistol  or  revolver  into  any
    13  polling  place  on  the  day  of an election or while early voting is in
    14  progress. Such license to carry or possess shall  be  valid  within  the
    15  city of New York in the absence of a permit issued by the police commis-
    16  sioner  of  that  city,  provided  that (a) the firearms covered by such
    17  license have been purchased from a licensed dealer within  the  city  of
    18  New  York and are being transported out of said city forthwith and imme-
    19  diately from said dealer by the licensee in a locked container during  a
    20  continuous  and  uninterrupted  trip;  or provided that (b) the firearms
    21  covered by such license are being  transported  by  the  licensee  in  a
    22  locked container and the trip through the city of New York is continuous
    23  and  uninterrupted;  or  provided  that (c) the firearms covered by such
    24  license are carried by armored car security guards transporting money or
    25  other valuables, in, to,  or  from  motor  vehicles  commonly  known  as
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11001-02-1

        A. 7414                             2
 
     1  armored  cars,  during  the course of their employment; or provided that
     2  (d) the licensee is a  retired  police  officer  as  police  officer  is
     3  defined pursuant to subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the crim-
     4  inal  procedure  law  or  a  retired federal law enforcement officer, as
     5  defined in section 2.15 of the criminal  procedure  law,  who  has  been
     6  issued a license by an authorized licensing officer as defined in subdi-
     7  vision  ten of section 265.00 of this chapter; provided, further, howev-
     8  er, that if such license was not issued in the city of New York it  must
     9  be  marked  "Retired Police Officer" or "Retired Federal Law Enforcement
    10  Officer", as the case may be, and, in the case of a retired officer  the
    11  license shall be deemed to permit only police or federal law enforcement
    12  regulations  weapons; or provided that (e) the licensee is a peace offi-
    13  cer described in subdivision four of section 2.10 of the criminal proce-
    14  dure law and the license, if issued by other than the city of New  York,
    15  is marked "New York State Tax Department Peace Officer" and in such case
    16  the exemption shall apply only to the firearm issued to such licensee by
    17  the  department of taxation and finance. A license as gunsmith or dealer
    18  in firearms shall not be valid outside the city or county, as  the  case
    19  may  be,  where  issued.  Notwithstanding  any inconsistent provision of
    20  state or local law or rule or regulation, the  premises  limitation  set
    21  forth  in  any  license  to have and possess a pistol or revolver in the
    22  licensee's dwelling or place of business pursuant to  paragraph  (a)  or
    23  (b)  of  subdivision two of this section shall not prevent the transport
    24  of such pistol or revolver directly to or from (i) another  dwelling  or
    25  place  of  business  of the licensee where the licensee is authorized to
    26  have and possess such pistol or revolver,  (ii)  an  indoor  or  outdoor
    27  shooting  range  that  is  authorized by law to operate as such, (iii) a
    28  shooting competition at which the licensee may possess  such  pistol  or
    29  revolver  consistent  with  the  provisions  of subdivision a of section
    30  265.20 of this chapter or consistent with  the  law  applicable  at  the
    31  place of such competition, or (iv) any other location where the licensee
    32  is  lawfully  authorized  to  have  and possess such pistol or revolver;
    33  provided however, that during such transport to or from a location spec-
    34  ified in clauses (i) through (iv)  of  this  paragraph,  the  pistol  or
    35  revolver  shall  be  unloaded and carried in a locked container, and the
    36  ammunition therefor  shall  be  carried  separately;  provided  further,
    37  however,  that a license to have and possess a pistol or revolver in the
    38  licensee's dwelling or place of business pursuant to  paragraph  (a)  or
    39  (b)  of  subdivision  two  of this section that is issued by a licensing
    40  officer other than the police commissioner of the city of New York shall
    41  not authorize transport of a pistol or revolver into  the  city  of  New
    42  York  in  the  absence  of  written authorization to do so by the police
    43  commissioner of that city. The term "locked container" shall not include
    44  the glove compartment or console of a vehicle.
    45    § 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 265.01-d to read
    46  as follows:
    47  § 265.02-d Criminal possession of  a weapon at a polling place.
    48    A person is guilty of criminal possession of a  weapon  at  a  polling
    49  place  when    he or she knowingly has in his or her possession a rifle,
    50  shotgun, or firearm in or  within one hundred feet of a polling place on
    51  the day of a primary, special or general  election or while early voting
    52  is in progress. Nothing in this section shall apply to a police  officer
    53  in the performance of his or her duties.
    54    Criminal  possession of a weapon at a polling place is a class E felo-
    55  ny.
    56    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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