What's happening
This bill lowers the minimum age for supervised firearm use from 12 to 10 and raises the supervisor’s minimum age from 18 to 21.
Why it matters
Expands youth access to supervised firearm use. By lowering the minimum age from 12 to 10, this bill allows younger children to participate in activities such as target shooting or hunting under supervision, potentially encouraging earlier involvement in shooting sports or outdoor traditions.
Raises supervisory standards. Increasing the minimum age for supervisors from 18 to 21 suggests a push for greater maturity and responsibility among those overseeing minors with firearms, possibly in response to safety concerns or public pressure.
May shift family and community dynamics. The new requirements could affect who is eligible to supervise young shooters, possibly excluding older siblings or younger adults, and emphasizing parental or more experienced adult involvement.
Impacts training and certification. Only supervisors with specific hunting safety qualifications or official instructor certification are permitted, reinforcing the importance of structured safety education for both supervisors and young participants.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Lower Firearm Age to 10
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4699
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 3, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MAGEE, BARCLAY, OAKS, HAWLEY, JENNE, PALMESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. STEC -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to lowering from 12 years to
10 years the minimum age of a child authorized to engage in supervised loading and firing of rifles, shotguns and pistols, and increasing from 18 years to 21 years the minimum age of the designated supervisor of such a child
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs 7, 7-c and 7-d of subdivision a of section 265.20 of the penal law, paragraph 7 as amended by chapter 180 of the laws of 1998, and paragraphs 7-c and 7-d as added by chapter 651 of the laws of 1996, are amended to read as follows:
7. Possession, at an indoor or outdoor shooting range for the purpose of loading and firing, of a rifle or shotgun, the propelling force of which is gunpowder by a person under sixteen years of age but not under [twelve] ten, under the immediate supervision, guidance and instruction of (a) a duly commissioned officer of the United States army, navy, air force, marine corps or coast guard, or of the national guard of the state of New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen of the United States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms practice issued by the United States army, navy, air force or marine corps, or by the adjutant general of this state, or by the national rifle association of America, a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the laws of this state; or (c) a parent, guardian, or a person over the age of [eighteen] twenty-one designated in writing by such parent or guardian who shall have a certificate of qualification in responsible hunting, including safety, ethics, and landowner relationshunter relations, issued or honored by the department of environmental conservation; or (d) an agent of the department of environmental conser-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08796-01-7
A. 4699 2
vation appointed to conduct courses in responsible hunting practices pursuant to article eleven of the environmental conservation law.
7-c. Possession for the purpose of loading and firing, of a rifle, pistol or shotgun, the propelling force of which may be either air, compressed gas or springs, by a person under sixteen years of age but not under [twelve] ten, under the immediate supervision, guidance and instruction of (a) a duly commissioned officer of the United States army, navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of the national guard of the state of New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen of the United States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms practice issued by the United States army, navy or marine corps, or by the adjutant general of this state, or by the national rifle association of America, a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the laws of this state; or (c) a parent, guardian, or a person over the age of [eighteen] twenty-one designated in writing by such parent or guardian who shall have a certificate of qualification in responsible hunting, including safety, ethics, and landowner relations-hunter relations, issued or honored by the department of environmental conservation.
7-d. Possession, at an indoor or outdoor shooting range for the purpose of loading and firing, of a rifle, pistol or shotgun, the propelling force of which may be either air, compressed gas or springs, by a person under [twelve] ten years of age, under the immediate supervision, guidance and instruction of (a) a duly commissioned officer of the United States army, navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of the national guard of the state of New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen of the United States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms practice issued by the United States army, navy or marine corps, or by the adjutant general of this state, or by the national rifle association of America, a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the laws of this state; or (c) a parent, guardian, or a person over the age of [eighteen] twenty-one designated in writing by such parent or guardian who shall have a certificate of qualification in responsible hunting, including safety, ethics, and landowner relationshunter relations, issued or honored by the department of environmental conservation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.