Gun rights advocates are preparing legal challenges against New York’s new law for the concealed carry of handguns.
The state’s Democratic-run legislature quickly passed the Concealed Carry Improvement Act after the Supreme Court last month struck down a long-standing state law mandating handgun permit applicants prove proper cause to qualify for a concealed carry permit.
The new law establishes a stringent licensing process and names locations as “sensitive” where carrying a firearm will be considered a felony. This includes Times Square, government-owned buildings, schools, health care facilities, places of worship and mass transit.
Additionally, stores and businesses are rendered gun-free zones unless the owners post signs stating they allow concealed carry in their shops.
To challenge the new law, the Second Amendment coalition was formed by the New York Republican Party, the New York Conservative Party and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association.
The Washington Times reached out to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who signed the law last week, but did not hear back.
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“The moment Democrats passed this outrageous bill, I vowed to fight them in court,” said Nick Langworthy, chairman of the New York GOP. “We have been working the phones and talking to legal experts to build a coalition and bring a winning case that will stop this law in its tracks.”
Tom King, chairman of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, said, “The Supreme Court ruled decisively on this issue and Democrats once again showed complete disregard for New Yorkers’ rights and the rule of law.”
Mr. King’s group spearheaded the Supreme Court case that struck down the state’s previous carry law.
The new law has other critics, including the New York State Sheriffs’ Association which called the new gun law “unconstitutional” and “reactionary.”
“Some action by the Legislature was necessary to fill the firearms licensing vacuum created when the Supreme Court struck down New York’s unconstitutional restrictions on our citizens’ right to keep and bear arms,” the sheriff’s association said in a statement. “But it did not need to be thoughtless, reactionary action, just to make a political statement.”
The sheriffs also objected to the way Democrats rammed the bill through the legislature, saying the bill “first saw the light of day on a Friday morning and was signed into law on Friday afternoon.”
The law enforcement organization accused legislators of using a “parliamentary ruse” to circumvent the requirement in the State Constitution that requires lawmakers and the public to get three days to study and discuss proposed legislation before it goes to a vote.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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