NY State Senate Bill 2015-S7596

Senate Bill S7596

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Establishes a waiting period before a firearm, shotgun or rifle may be delivered to a person

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 11, 2016	referred to codes

2015-S7596 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9433
Current Committee:: Senate Codes
Law Section:: Penal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §400.00, add §400.20, Pen L; amd §§897 & 898, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S1414, A2406
2019-2020: S2374, A2690

2015-S7596 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a waiting period before a firearm, shotgun or rifle may be delivered to a person; requires either the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) or its successor has issued a "proceed" response to the licensee, or ten business days have elapsed since the date the licensee, seller, transferor or dealer contacted NICS to initiate a national instant criminal background check and NICS has not notified the licensee, seller, transferor or dealer that the transfer of the firearm, rifle or shotgun to such person should be denied.

2015-S7596 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7596

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the penal law and the general business law, in
relation to establishing a waiting period before a firearm, shotgun or
rifle may be delivered to a person

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To extend the period of time in which a licensed firearm dealer can
deliver a firearm without a "proceed" response from the National
Instant Criminal Background Check System from 3 days to 10 days.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends section 400.00(12) of the penal law to
provide that before a licensed firearms dealer delivers a firearm to
another person, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System
(NICS) must have issued a proceed response to the dealer or ten
business days must have elapsed without NICS notifying the dealer that
the transfer of the firearm in the transaction should be denied.

Section 2 of the bill adds a new section 400.20 to the penal law to
provide that when a rifle or shotgun sale or transfer occurs, NICS
must have issued a proceed response or ten business days must have

elapsed without NICS notifying the seller or transferor that the
person should be denied the rifle or shotgun.

Section 3 of the bill amends section 897 of the general business law

 JUSTIFICATION :

As provided under federal law, background checks for the sale or
transfer of firearms are conducted through the FBI's National Instant
Criminal Background Check System (NICS). If the buyer or recipient of
the firearm passes the background check, the NICS issues a "proceed"
response, that the sale or transfer of the firearm can continue. If
there is any delay in the background check or the FBI needs to obtain
further information about the buyer, the FBI has three business days
to complete the background check. If the background check has not been
completed within the three day period, the firearm dealer may proceed
with the transaction, known as a "default proceed." This default
proceed loophole was the cause of a mass shooting at a church in
Charleston, South Carolina when the background check was not completed
within three days due to a local clerical error. This bill would
extend the waiting period from three days to ten days before the
default proceed on the transaction can take place.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015-16: A9433 (Paulin)

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None to the state

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
takes effect on the sixtieth day after it becomes law

2015-S7596 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7596

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 11, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes

AN ACT to amend the penal law and the general business law, in  relation
  to  establishing  a  waiting period before a firearm, shotgun or rifle
  may be delivered to a person

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subdivision  12  of  section  400.00 of the penal law, as
amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
  12. Records required of gunsmiths and dealers in firearms. Any  person
licensed  as  gunsmith  or  dealer  in firearms shall keep a record book
approved as to form, except in the city of New York, by the  superinten-
dent of state police. In the record book shall be entered at the time of
every  transaction  involving  a firearm the date, name, age, occupation
and residence of any person from whom a firearm is received or to whom a
firearm is delivered, and the calibre, make, model, manufacturer's  name
and  serial number, or if none, any other distinguishing number or iden-
tification mark on such firearm. Before  delivering  a  firearm  to  any
person, the licensee shall require him to produce either a license valid
under  this  section  to  carry  or possess the same, or proof of lawful
authority as an exempt person pursuant to section 265.20 OF THIS CHAPTER
AND EITHER (A) THE NATIONAL INSTANT  CRIMINAL  BACKGROUND  CHECK  SYSTEM
(NICS) OR ITS SUCCESSOR HAS ISSUED A "PROCEED" RESPONSE TO THE LICENSEE,
OR  (B)  TEN  BUSINESS  DAYS  HAVE  ELAPSED  SINCE THE DATE THE LICENSEE
CONTACTED NICS TO INITIATE A NATIONAL INSTATE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND  CHECK
AND  NICS HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE LICENSEE THAT THE TRANSFER OF THE FIREARM
TO SUCH PERSON SHOULD BE DENIED.    In  addition,  before  delivering  a
firearm  to  a  peace  officer,  the licensee shall verify that person's
status as a peace officer with  the  division  of  state  police.  After
completing  the  foregoing,  the  licensee  shall  remove and retain the
attached coupon and enter in the record book the date of  such  license,
number,  if  any,  and name of the licensing officer, in the case of the
holder of a license to carry or possess, or the shield or other  number,
if  any,  assignment  and  department, unit or agency, in the case of an

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD13653-05-6

S. 7596                             2

exempt person. The original transaction report shall be forwarded to the
division of state police within ten days of delivering a firearm to  any
person,  and  a duplicate copy shall be kept by the licensee. The super-
intendent  of  state  police  may  designate  that  such record shall be
completed and transmitted in electronic form. A dealer may be granted  a
waiver  from  transmitting such records in electronic form if the super-
intendent determines that such dealer is incapable of such  transmission
due  to  technological  limitations  that  are not reasonably within the
control of the dealer, or other exceptional  circumstances  demonstrated
by  the  dealer, pursuant to a process established in regulation, and at
the discretion of the superintendent. Records assembled or collected for
purposes of inclusion in the database created pursuant to section 400.02
of this article shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant  to  article
six  of  the public officers law. The record book shall be maintained on
the premises mentioned and described in the license and shall be open at
all reasonable hours for inspection by any peace officer, acting  pursu-
ant  to his special duties, or police officer. In the event of cancella-
tion or revocation of the license for gunsmith or dealer in firearms, or
discontinuance of business by a licensee,  such  record  book  shall  be
immediately  surrendered  to  the  licensing  officer in the city of New
York, and in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, and  elsewhere  in  the
state to the executive department, division of state police.
  S  2.  The penal law is amended by adding a new section 400.20 to read
as follows:
S 400.20 WAITING PERIOD IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE  OR  TRANSFER  OF  A
           RIFLE OR SHOTGUN.
  WHEN A NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
TO  STATE  OR  FEDERAL  LAW TO BE CONDUCTED THROUGH THE NATIONAL INSTANT
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM (NICS) OR ITS SUCCESSOR  IN  CONNECTION
WITH  THE  SALE  OR TRANSFER OF A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO ANY PERSON, BEFORE
DELIVERING A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO SUCH PERSON, EITHER (A) NICS HAS ISSUED
A "PROCEED" RESPONSE TO THE SELLER OR TRANSFEROR, OR  (B)  TEN  BUSINESS
DAYS  SHALL  HAVE  ELAPSED  SINCE  THE  DATE  THE  SELLER  OR TRANSFEROR
CONTACTED NICS TO INITIATE A NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND  CHECK
AND  NICS HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE SELLER OR TRANSFEROR THAT THE TRANSFER OF
THE RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO SUCH PERSON SHOULD BE DENIED.
  S 3. Subdivision 1 of section 897 of  the  general  business  law,  as
added by chapter 189 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
  1. A national instant criminal background check shall be conducted and
no  person  shall  sell or transfer a firearm, rifle or shotgun at a gun
show, except in accordance with the  provisions  of  18  U.S.C.  922(t),
PROVIDED  THAT  BEFORE  DELIVERING  A  FIREARM,  RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO ANY
PERSON, EITHER (A) THE NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM
(NICS) OR ITS SUCCESSOR HAS ISSUED A "PROCEED" RESPONSE TO THE SELLER OR
TRANSFEROR, OR (B) TEN BUSINESS DAYS SHALL HAVE ELAPSED SINCE  THE  DATE
THE  SELLER  OR TRANSFEROR CONTACTED NICS TO INITIATE A NATIONAL INSTANT
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK AND  NICS  HAS  NOT  NOTIFIED  THE  SELLER  OR
TRANSFEROR  THAT  THE  TRANSFER OF THE FIREARM, RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO SUCH
PERSON SHOULD BE DENIED.
  S 4. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 898 of the general business  law,
as  added  by  chapter  1  of  the  laws of 2013, are amended to read as
follows:
  1.  In addition to any other requirements pursuant to state and feder-
al law, all sales, exchanges or disposals of firearms, rifles  or  shot-
guns  shall  be  conducted  in  accordance with this section unless such
sale, exchange or disposal is conducted by a licensed importer, licensed

S. 7596                             3

manufacturer or licensed dealer, as those terms are defined in 18 USC  S
922,  when such sale, exchange or disposal is conducted pursuant to that
person's federal firearms license or such sale, exchange or disposal  is
between  members  of  an  immediate  family.  WHEN  A  SALE, EXCHANGE OR
DISPOSAL IS CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO A PERSON'S FEDERAL  FIREARMS  LICENSE,
BEFORE  DELIVERING A FIREARM, RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO ANY PERSON, EITHER (A)
THE NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND  CHECK  SYSTEM  (NICS)  OR  ITS
SUCCESSOR HAS ISSUED A "PROCEED" RESPONSE TO THE FEDERAL FIREARMS LICEN-
SEE,  OR  (B)  TEN  BUSINESS  DAYS SHALL HAVE ELAPSED SINCE THE DATE THE
FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSEE CONTACTED NICS TO INITIATE A NATIONAL  INSTANT
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK AND NICS HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE FEDERAL FIREARMS
LICENSEE  THAT  THE  TRANSFER  OF  THE FIREARM, RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO SUCH
PERSON SHOULD BE DENIED.  For purposes of this section, "immediate fami-
ly" shall mean spouses, domestic partners, children and step-children.
  2. Before any sale, exchange or disposal pursuant to this  article,  a
national instant criminal background check must be completed by a dealer
who  consents  to  conduct such check, and upon completion of such back-
ground check, shall complete a document, the  form  of  which  shall  be
approved  by  the  superintendent  of  state police, that identifies and
confirms that such check was performed.  BEFORE A DEALER WHO CONSENTS TO
CONDUCT A NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK DELIVERS A FIREARM,
RIFLE OR SHOTGUN TO ANY PERSON,  EITHER  (A)  NICS  ISSUED  A  "PROCEED"
RESPONSE  TO  THE  DEALER,  OR  (B) TEN BUSINESS DAYS SHALL HAVE ELAPSED
SINCE THE DATE THE DEALER CONTACTED NICS TO INITIATE A NATIONAL  INSTANT
CRIMINAL  BACKGROUND CHECK AND NICS HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE DEALER THAT THE
TRANSFER OF THE FIREARM, RIFLE OR  SHOTGUN  TO  SUCH  PERSON  SHOULD  BE
DENIED.
  S  5.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.