CAPITAL DISTRICT-SARATOGA Chapter

2025 Meeting Dates

February 18
March 18
April 15 
May 20
June 17
July 15
August 19
September 16
October 21
November 18

The Saratoga / Capital District SCOPE Email Newsletter: April 2025

Members and Friends of Saratoga / Capital District SCOPE, please find this email with second amendment news that may be of interest to you. 

Below are news items and firearm related interest stories that occurred over the past few weeks…

CAPITAL DISTRICT SCOPE RELATED NEWS:

Meetings in 2025 are the third Tuesday of each month.  The dates are as follows:  July 15th, August 19th, September 16th, October 21st, November 18th. 

Announcement: our secretary may be able to take over the treasurer’s position if we can recruit a new secretary, can you help?  Secretary duties require keeping the chapter minutes.

Also we are looking into presenting two training classes, home defense shotgun and home defense pistol.  Details to follow.

STATE SCOPE RELATED NEWS:

On Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, several SCOPE officials traveled to Albany to meet with New York State Senate Minority Leader Senator Rob Ortt, along with Senator Joseph Griffo, Senator Mark Walczyk and their staff.

SCOPE leadership continues to engage with county federations, SCOPE chapters, and local rod and gun clubs throughout New York State. On Thursday May 8, 2025, SCOPE’s president addressed the Ulster County Federation where approximately 45 representatives from various rod and gun clubs in the county were in attendance, including the SCOPE County Chairman.

Planning for the 2025 SCOPE Banquet is underway. The event is set to take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6778 in Palmyra, New York.

LOCAL 2A RELATED NEWS:

Albany-Colonie

The getaway driver in the Colonie gun store burglary was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  New Lebanon man Paul Gervasio, along with co-defendant Willie Moses, burglarized NY Shooter Supply in Colonie on November 14, 2024, stealing 14 firearms.  Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced, 38-year-old Paul Gervasio from New Lebanon has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for his involvement in the Colonie gun store burglary.

Albany

This is what happens to you when you get caught with an illegal gun in Albany.

June 9, 2025.  A 23-year-old man from Bayside, New York, is sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a Glock 17 handgun with a defaced serial number. The incident took place in a shopping mall parking lot in Albany County.  As part of his sentencing, Steven Gomez is required to complete 50 hours of community service. Federal authorities highlight the dangers posed by firearms lacking traceable serial numbers, which can often evade law enforcement detection and represent a significant threat to citizens’ safety. The case, which is part of a broader focus on regulating illegal gun possession, was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  https://gunnewsdaily.com/nyc-man-gets-probation-for-gun-possession-at-mall/

Rensselaer

NRA Foundation President Files Whistleblower Complaint Against Former Board President Oliver North.  The complaint against North, by the president of the NRA Foundation, Thomas King, cites New York’s anti-SLAPP statute that protects New Yorkers from frivolous lawsuits meant to silence whistleblowers. It was filed in state Supreme Court of Rensselaer County, where King resides.  https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2025/05/20/nra-foundation-president-files-whistleblower-complaint-against-former-board-president-oliver-north/?slreturn=2025052190318

Schenectady

Schenectady gun buyback June 21^st event collects 367 firearms, including 147 assault weapons.  They paid $750 for an “assault rifle”.  https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/schenectady-gun-buyback-event-collects-367-firearms-including-147-assault-weapons

Gun at Schenectady school.  On June 13, 2025, around noon, Police responded to Schenectady high school when a gun was detected inside a student's bag by metal detectors at the entryway.  The student is set to appear in Schenectady City Court on Friday afternoon.  Surprisingly it was a red haired Caucasian female.  https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/schenectady-student-scheduled-to-appear-in-court-cbs6-wrgb          

Saratoga

Police surrounded a CDTA bus in Saratoga Springs when a caller stated that someone on the bus had a gun.  Everyone was removed from the bus and frisked and all bags were checked.  No gun was found, The call proved to be 'unfounded'.  Internet comments on the article (unverified as true or not) said someone overheard someone on the phone talking to someone on the other end of the phone saying he had a gun in his bag and was going to use it on someone.  There was no gun found.  https://www.facebook.com/CBS6Albany/posts/cbs6-has-obtained-video-showing-a-tense-scene-in-saratoga-springs-with-officers-/1111417234353996/

NEW YORK STATE 2A RELATED NEWS:

DEC Proposes Changes to Deer Hunting Regulations.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has a proposal to shorten deer harvest reporting from seven days to 48 hours. This change aims to enhance law enforcement oversight and introduces digital tagging options.  The proposal also offers youth hunters replacement tags and extends Deer Management Assistance Program permits to five years.  The proposed regulation is available on DEC’s web site.

NY Legislative Session Ends, for Now.

Gun owners can quietly celebrate the 2025 legislative session drawing to a close without a major gun control bill going to the Governor, although some minor gun bills passed into law. Surprisingly, the Assembly stalled bad legislation for this year. Be aware the legislature can come back into session, so it's important to remain diligent. https://www.nraila.org/articles/20250618/new-york-gun-owners-escape-session-with-no-damage 

These are the gun control bills that passed this year and were signed into law:

2025 Gun Control Bills Now Law

1)         A-436/S-744, Includes pistol converters in the definition of a rapid-fire modification device.

2)         A-437/S-743, Includes rifles and shotguns in required warnings to consumers regarding the risk of death or suicide in homes where such weapons are present.

3)         A-439/S-745, Removes dealers of ammunition from certain provisions that require the use of certain merchant category-codes by payment card networks for firearm merchants.

4)         A-544B/S-1985A, Requires police officers to take temporary custody of firearms when responding to reports of family violence.

5)         A-3000D/S-3000D, State Operations Budget. Creates the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention under the Division of Criminal Justice Services.

6)         A-8869/S-8411, Requires the Superintendent of the Division of State Police shall establish and maintain within the division a criminal gun clearinghouse as a central repository of information regarding all guns coming into the possession of any state or local law enforcement agency which are believed to have been used in the commission of a crime.

East Hampton residents oppose local gun club’s lease renewal

This could happen to your club….

Several residents of the Merchants Path neighborhood launched a lawsuit against the Maidstone Gun Club in 2022 after reporting that stray bullets struck their homes.  The gun club, which has been in the area for 42 years, maintains that the bullets did not come from their facility but rather from people shooting illegally in the woods surrounding the property.  That litigious filing led to a court-ordered temporary restraining order in November 2022, forcing the gun club to cease all operations since that time. The club’s 30-year lease—for which it paid $100/year for the use of 97 acres of parkland near the East Hampton airport expired over a year and a half ago. Owing to the pending lawsuit and renegotiations, a new lease has yet to be signed.

https://nypost.com/2025/06/04/real-estate/east-hampton-residents-go-to-war-over-local-gun-clubs-lease-renewal/

OTHER STATES - QUICKIE NEWS:

Rhode Island: Rhode Island lawmakers pass bill to ban sales of assault weapons.

The proposal now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Dan McKee, who said on X that he plans to sign it into law.

Vermont: Although S131, which changes the Burlington City Charter to allow the city to ban firearms, passed the legislature, Governor Phil Scott (R-VT) announced that he will veto it.

Connecticut: The legislature adjourned. However, HB 7042, which allows civil causes of action to be brought against firearm industry members who fail to implement “reasonable controls,” passed the legislature and is on its way to Governor Lamont.

Florida – From NRA-ILA

Governor DeSantis Signs Legislation to Remove 2A Restrictions During Emergencies.

NATIONAL 2A RELATED NEWS:

Senate Moves to Delist Silencers, Short-Barrel Shotguns and Rifles from NFA in Budget Bill. The text of the includes a provision that would completely remove silencers as well as short-barrel rifles and shotguns from the NFA. That would eliminate the $200 federal tax on those devices and the requirement that owners register them with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The bill would also remove an NFA category called “any other weapon” and exclude shotguns from the definition of still-regulated “destructive devices.” https://thereload.com/senate-moves-to-delist-silencers-short-barrel-shotguns-and-rifles-in-budget-bill/

HUGE LEGAL WIN: In a unanimous 9-0 decision, SCOTUS rules that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act bars the Mexican government's lawsuit against American firearm manufacturers, reversing a lower appeals court and remanding the case back for further action.  https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5334416-supreme-court-mexico-gun-industry/

INTERNATIONAL

Argentina

President of Argentina Javier Milei signed a decree Wednesday broadening gun rights in the country by allowing Argentine civilians to purchase and possess semiautomatic weapons for the first time in 30 years.

MISC.

Refresher – NY CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON ON SCHOOL GROUNDS – § 265.01‑A EXPLAINED

If you bring a gun, rifle, or shotgun onto New York school property, you invite a felony charge that can derail your entire future. That is not drama – it is state law. Section 265.01‑a of the New York Penal Code makes “Criminal Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds” a Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison and a permanent record that follows you into every background check.  WHAT THE STATUTE REALLY SAYS…https://www.federallawyers.com/new-york-penal-code-criminal-possession/

CitiBank updating policies to prevent debanking over firearms

Citi announced that it will update its policies to ensure clients can access the firm's financial services despite their political views or involvement in the firearms industry.  The bank's decision comes following actions by the Trump administration to counter alleged "debanking" of conservatives, crypto firms and other businesses such as firearms dealers who have lost access to financial services because of their views or their connection to disfavored industries.  https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/citi-updating-policies-prevent-debanking-over-firearms-political-views

ACTION ITEMS:

Tell Gillibrand not to help campaign for Cuomo.  https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/email-me/

CLOSING:

Thanks for being a member or friend of Saratoga / Capital District SCOPE.  I like hearing from you.  Feel free to forward articles for the newsletter, especially local stuff to Capnospam@nycap.rr.com

Join SCOPE or Renew here  https://scopeny2a.org/membership

Shooters Committee On Political Education (SCOPE).
We are a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving and defending the 2nd amendment rights for the residents of New York State.