Senate Bill S5818

                                BILL NUMBER:S5818

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
requiring certain warnings be provided upon the issuance of a hunting
license or muzzle-loading privileges

PURPOSE:

To provide notice to individuals issued a hunting license or
muzzle-loading privilege regarding the safe storage of firearms law in
order to prevent injury and death, particularly of children, by
unintentional access, discharge and use of weapons.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Section 11-0713 of the environmental conservation law is
amended by adding a new subdivision 7 to require the issuing officer
to issue, upon the issuance of a hunting license or muzzle-loading
privilege, a notice that firearms should be stored unloaded and locked
in a location that is both separate from their ammunition and
inaccessible to children and any other unauthorized person.

Section 2. Provides the effective date.

              

JUSTIFICATION:

Current law requires the purchase of a safety locking device with the
purchase or transfer of a firearm and the safe storage of a firearm in
certain circumstances. This bill will require an issuing officer to
issue to individuals who are issued a hunting license or
muzzle-loading privilege when such license or privilege is issued, a
notice regarding an aspect of responsible firearm storage. The notice
is the identical notice required under current law to be posted in
retail businesses where firearms, rifles or shotguns are displayed or
transferred.

In 2011, firearms killed 997 New Yorkers. Of these, 466 deaths were
homicides (47%), 505 were suicides (51%), 12 were unintentional (1%)
and 14 were legal (1%). Safe storage is one way to help reduce the
firearm death and injury rate in New York State.

In addition, safe storage is particularly important in keeping
firearms out of the hands of children and young people. A 2005 study
of adult firearm storage practices found that almost 2 million
children under age 18 live in homes with easily accessible loaded
and/or unlocked guns. 116 Pediatrics e3701-372 (Sept. 2005).

This bill will increase awareness about our safe storage law and
thereby improve our ability to decrease the risk of death and injury,
particularly of children, resulting from firearms that were not safely
stored.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.