|
Utica, NY – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21) today introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that New York State’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) is unconstitutional. The CCIA was rushed through the state legislature and signed by Governor Hochul on July 1, 2022, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen, which overturned the state’s previous unconstitutional concealed carry law.
The resolution was also cosponsored by Representatives Darrell Issa (CA-50), Scott DesJarlais (TN-04), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-02), Andy Harris (MD-01), Mary Miller (IL-15), and John Moolenaar (MI-04).
Last year, Congresswoman Tenney led 175 of her House Republican colleagues in an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in NYSRPA v. Bruen. The Court’s eventual ruling striking down New York’s arbitrary and unconstitutional Sullivan Law was the most significant victory for Second Amendment advocates since D.C. v. Heller.
However, the state legislature then stepped in to replace the Sullivan Law with an even more outrageous law, which, among other things, requires concealed carry permit applicants to turn over their personal social media accounts, mandates interviews with state officials, and broadly bans the concealed carry of weapons in a range of public and private locations. Last week, U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby blocked the state from enforcing several provisions, including bans on concealed carry in sensitive locations and requirements for applicants to turn over social media accounts. Since then, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has granted an interim stay of Judge Suddaby’s ruling in response to a motion for a stay pending appeal filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“Despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, the Second Amendment remains under attack from far-left politicians in Albany,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The NYSRPA v. Bruen decision upheld the right of Americans to conceal carry and rejected overreaching state laws infringing on our Second Amendment right. But Democrats in New York, led by Governor Kathy Hochul, ignored that court ruling and enacted a blatantly unconstitutional law. While legal challenges against this law work their way through the courts, I am honored to stand once again in support of New Yorkers’ right to keep and bear arms.”
“Kathy Hochul’s gun grabbing law is unconstitutional and a direct attack on our Upstate rights and values," said Congresswoman Stefanik. "We know that Hochul passed this law declaring historical reenactors and lawful gun owners in the Adirondack Park felons in direct defiance after the United States Supreme Court struck down New York’s gun laws, but still she doubled down on her unconstitutional agenda. I am bringing the concerns of New York patriots to the highest levels, and, just as we did in the concealed carry issue, I am committed to bringing this all the way to the Supreme Court.”
"New York's Attorney General, who is no friend of the Second Amendment, clearly isn't getting the message from the Bruen decision. Americans have a constitutionally guaranteed right to carry arms in self-defense across the state outside of their own homes. While New York is appealing our victory, Mayor Adams has just signed legislation that directly contradicts the Constitution, Supreme Court precedent, and Judge Suddaby’s ruling from last week. We commend Rep. Tenney for criticizing the anti-gun hysteria of New York politicians. GOA and GOF will keep fighting for our members in Antonyuk v. Hochul until the state admits defeat or is brought into line by the high court once again," said Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs for Gun Owners of America.
“The provisions in New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) stand in direct opposition to the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association (NYSRPA) v. Bruen. Such blatant disregard for the highest court in the land cannot be allowed to stand. On behalf of our five million members and our tens of million of supporters across the country, we thank Rep. Claudia Tenney for defending the rights of law-abiding gun owners and offering this important resolution," said Jason Ouimet, Executive Director of NRA-ILA.
Similar resolutions have been passed by county legislatures throughout upstate New York since the law’s passage, including in Oswego, Wyoming, Orleans, and Niagara. Tenney’s resolution is supported by Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Rifle Association - Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA).
The full text of the resolution is available here.
|
