What's happening
This bill requires law enforcement to report seized or recovered firearms and shell casings to federal crime databases for tracking and investigation.
Why it matters
Standardizes and speeds up crime gun tracing. By requiring law enforcement to report seized firearms to national databases within 24 hours, the bill enables faster identification of stolen or crime-associated guns, potentially improving investigations and recovery of stolen property.
Expands ballistic evidence sharing. Mandates that qualifying seized guns and spent shell casings be test-fired and entered into the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN), which can link previously unconnected crimes through ballistic matches and help solve gun violence cases.
Promotes uniform compliance across agencies. Currently, reporting practices vary widely; this bill establishes a legal requirement for all agencies in New York, reducing gaps in crime gun data and enhancing statewide and national collaboration.
Supports data-driven approaches to gun violence. By systematically collecting and submitting firearm and ballistic data, the law aims to give law enforcement and researchers more robust tools for analyzing gun crime patterns, targeting illegal gun trafficking, and developing prevention strategies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Police Report Seized Guns
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
10 Co-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
1421
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, DINOWITZ, WEPRIN, GOTTFRIED, EPSTEIN, ORTIZ, HUNTER, D'URSO, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to reporting duties of law enforcement with respect to certain seized and recovered firearms and spent shell casings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The section heading of section 400.10 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows: Report of theft or loss of a firearm, rifle or shotgun; additional
reporting duties of law enforcement.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 400.10 of the penal law is renumbered subdivision 4 and a new subdivision 3 is added to read as follows:
3. (a) Whenever a law enforcement agency seizes or recovers a firearm, rifle or shotgun, the agency shall, within twenty-four hours of seizure, enter the make, model, caliber and serial number of such firearm into the National Crime Information Center to determine whether such firearm, rifle or shotgun was reported stolen.
(b) Whenever a law enforcement agency seizes or recovers a firearm, rifle or shotgun that was unlawfully possessed, used for an unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, is reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime, or is acquired by the agency as an abandoned or discarded firearm, rifle or shotgun, the agency shall, arrange for every such firearm, rifle or shotgun that is determined to be suitable for National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network data entry and examination to be testfired as soon as may be practicable and the results of the test-firing be submitted to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network to determine whether the firearm, rifle or shotgun is associated or related to a crime, criminal event, or any individual associated or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01811-01-9
A. 1421 2
related to a crime or criminal event or reasonably believed to be associated or related to a crime or criminal event.
(c) Whenever a law enforcement agency recovers any spent shell casing at a crime scene or has reason to believe that the recovered spent shell casing is related to or associated with the commission of a crime or the unlawful discharge of a firearm, rifle or shotgun, the agency shall, as soon as may be practicable, submit the ballistic information to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.
(d) For purposes of this subdivision, "shell casing" means that part of ammunition capable of being used in a firearm, rifle or shotgun that contains the primer and propellant powder to discharge the bullet or projectile.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth 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.