New York: “SAFE Act” Registration Deadline is Today

Today, the year-old “SAFE Act” will require gun owners to register any firearm that falls within the anti-gun Legislature’s new definition of a semi-automatic “assault weapon,” or risk becoming a felon.  The NRA actively opposed this egregious legislation last January while it was being rammed through the legislative process by Governor Anthony Cuomo (D) within a 24-hour period without any public input or committee hearings.  Your NRA continues to vigorously oppose this law.

The implementation of the SAFE Act has been plagued with problems, and many of its provisions have either been overturned by the courts or suspended.  In December, the District Court for the Western District of New York struck down the seven-round magazine capacity limit saying it is arbitrary.  Also, the portion of this law dealing with background checks on ammunition purchases, which was set to go into effect in January, was suspended because the State Police have no means of completing such checks.

Over the last year, the vast majority of county legislatures across New York have adopted resolutions condemning the SAFE Act, and many sheriffs have gone on record in opposition to the law, saying they refuse to enforce it.  The State Police have failed to disclose how many people have complied with the law’s registration requirement to date.  The speculation is that their failure to release this information is directly correlated to the embarrassing figures that such a revelation would reveal.  Despite the overwhelming opposition to the new law, the New York Assembly, just days ago, defeated legislation in committee to either completely and partially repeal the SAFE Act.

This law does nothing but go after law-abiding gun owners, turning hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers into potential felons.  Cuomo has attacked law-abiding citizens while failing to address violent crime or public safety.  The NRA is providing significant support to the litigation by our state association, the New York Rifle and Pistol Association.  NRA attorneys have also submitted an amicus brief in the lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of this draconian law.

Please continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts for the latest developments on the SAFE Act.

Read more at: NRA-ILA