Legal Updates
Every month, Schuyler County publishes Legal Updates. The following are some 2nd Amendment highlights for June and July.
New York state budget creates Office of Gun Violence Prevention
The enacted state budget for fiscal year 2025 creates a formal New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention to consolidate gun control efforts. OGVP will be part of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the agency that oversees law-enforcement training and data collection.
The budget bills specifically earmark just under $60 million that’s new:
• $2.5 million for the OGVP
• $7.2 million for community-based gun- and domestic-violence prevention programs
• $40 million for police and legal costs to better enforce Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or “red flag” laws
$10 million in competitive grants to local community groups like the Greater Direction mentorship programs in Buffalo
Republican legislators far and wide have decried most of the budget for being too expensive and ignoring effective solutions to violent crime.
New Mandatory Insurance Law Could Lead to Civilian Disarmament
A new bill in New York State, known as Senate Bill S5974, could force all gun owners to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance. Sponsored by Senator Kevin Parker, this proposal isn’t just aimed at new buyers – anyone who already owns a gun would also be required to comply.
According to the bill, insurance must be purchased before someone can legally possess a firearm, and it must be maintained continuously. If you lose your coverage, you lose your legal right to own the gun. That’s not a suggestion – it’s automatic revocation.
The insurance requirement in the bill specifically covers damages from negligent acts involving firearms. In simple terms, if you accidentally fire your weapon and someone is hurt or property is damaged, the insurance is supposed to help cover those costs. However, if the firearm is used in self-defense, which is considered an intentional act, most general liability policies wouldn’t pay out.
As William Kirk of Washington Gun Law explained, “Insurance is only going to cover you for negligent activity at best.” That means people using guns legally in defense won’t even benefit from this requirement.
Kirk points out that the kind of insurance this bill demands doesn’t actually exist in most markets. If your insurance lapses, your registration and permits are automatically void. That gives the state the power to confiscate your guns, without any new due process. “They’ve created essentially a domino effect,” Kirk said. “Cancel the insurance, cancel the permit, then confiscate the firearms.”
That’s a serious escalation, and it shows how financial requirements can be turned into legal weapons.
One of the more overlooked aspects is how this could disproportionately hurt working-class Americans. It sets up a financial barrier that many can’t afford, especially in cities where gun ownership is already hard to navigate. This could become a form of economic discrimination that punishes the poor.
As Kirk said, “This is a law that’s really just designed to throw up yet another barrier… to access what is supposed to be an inalienable right.” If it passes, expect other states to follow. If it fails, expect it to come back next year, just like it has every year since 2013. Either way, it’s clear the battle over civilian gun rights is moving into the realm of insurance, and that should concern every American who values their freedom.
Citi Ends Political De-Banking Policy, Rescinds Requirement for Clients to Restrict Gun Sales
Financial services company Citi is walking back its political de-banking policy and its requirement for retail clients to restrict gun sales, making it the latest large corporation to distance itself from progressive corporate governance.
Citi announced the changes …after examining its corporate policies in light of shifts to the regulatory climate and President Trump’s executive orders.
Citi’s rescinded policies are both part of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movement in corporate America that seeks to use corporations as vehicles for progressive goals.
Conservatives have raised the alarm about financial companies “de-banking” right-wing clients and denying them access to services because of political orientation. The practice has mostly impacted right-wing extremists, but it has spilled out into industries disfavored by the left and other conservative institutions. Republican lawmakers have also raised the alarm about cases of debanking involving gun dealerships and religiously affiliated institutions.
Schuyler Co. Legal Updates
