NY NY It’s a Wonderful State: NEW YORK’S GUN LAWS ARE CHANGING: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Column from Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay
Gun owners, outdoor sportsmen and women and stores selling firearms and ammunition will be subjected to some troublesome procedures and protocols after new regulations went into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 13. The crux of the changes pertains to the way background checks will be conducted as well as new fees associated with buying guns and ammunition from your local dealership.
Notably, the new law calls for the New York State Police to conduct background checks for ammunition purchases. Beginning this week, a background check is required prior to the purchase and the responsibility for initiating NICS background checks for firearm, rifle or shotgun purchases has shifted to the State Police. Gun dealers and licensed ammunition sellers will now be required to contact the state police online to process these background checks, however an automated phone system is expected to be active sometime soon. There will now be a $9 fee associated with each firearm purchase and a $2.50 fee for ammunition purchases to cover the new system’s costs
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These changes are especially noteworthy as hunting season is about to begin and as a result gun and ammunition purchases are likely to increase. With the State Police taking on this new responsibility, there will be delays with respect to the background checks and answering all the questions hunters will have as this new law is implemented. If you are planning to enjoy New York’s exceptional hunting opportunities, budget extra time and money.
There are very legitimate concerns about the burden this new system is going to place on the businesses as well as the State Police and the hunting community. Costs will go up and it is unclear what benefits this new law will generate. Albany Democrats have portrayed this new law as a way to improve public safety. However, we know most gun violence comes from those using illegally obtained weapons. This law targets law-abiding gun owners and puts yet another financial burden on already overtaxed businesses and individuals. It’s hard not to look at this as anything more than a punitive fee for access to the Second Amendment.
Remember how the term ‘Not In My Back Yard’ (NIMBY) was popularized, as solar and wind power advocates had second thoughts when their beloved alternate energy schemes were being planned for close to them? For instance, the leftist elites on Cape Cod had a fit that offshore wind power would spoil their ocean view.
Never to be outdone in the hypocrisy department, these same elite took delight in making their cities, counties and states into ‘sanctuaries’ where illegal immigrants would be safe from federal prosecution. (Not that the Biden Administration was exactly rabid about prosecuting any illegals.) Illegal immigrants by the millions were fine in border states like Texas and if a very few made it to New York City they were welcome.
Then, Texas’ governor took the elites at their word and started shipping the illegals to NY City.
The NIMBY’s, like Lazarus, rose from the grave. They suddenly realized that someone would have to pay to keep all these illegals.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams is quoted as saying: “Let me tell you something New Yorkers: Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this. I don’t see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City, destroy New York City. We’re getting 10,000 migrants a month.”
According to the recent New York Post article, Adams explained that caring for the migrants flooding the area will add up to $12 billion in the coming three years.
But it’s not just NY City that NY City believes should pay for NY City shooting itself in the foot. New York City lawmakers want statewide tax increases to pay for migrants flooding into New York City.
The New York Post quoted state Senator Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn): “We should increase taxes because it’s economically just policy to offset all costs for our state to function.”
And never missing an opportunity to push the left’s favorite talking point, she added: “I’d say that even if our city and state hadn’t seen an increase in migrants seeking asylum, this moment makes it all the more important for the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes.”
We all know that NY City is a very difficult place to get a pistol permit for personal protection. After all, the theory goes, they have the NYPD to protect them. Except, Breitbart News has reported that the sanctuary city of New York City is gearing up to slash overtime for its police officers to foot the bill for tens of thousands of border crossers and illegal aliens living off citizens in the area.
The far left is attacking both the safety and the pocketbooks of New Yorkers. They must believe that NY has swallowed so much of the left’s Kkool-aid that nothing can stop them.
