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A2690Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS2374

Extend Gun Background Checks

Official title

“Establishes an extension of time of up to thirty calendar days for national instant background checks”

Sponsor Amy PaulinAD-88+43 co-sponsorsAffects Legal
Status
Assembly Floor Calendar
Impact
7/10
Significant
Outcome
Companion signed

Bill progress

Signed via S2374

What's happening

This bill extends the waiting period for firearm transfers when background checks are delayed, allowing up to 30 days for a response.

Why it matters

  1. Extends the background check waiting period. This bill increases the time a firearm seller must wait for a completed background check from the current federal standard (typically 3 days) to up to 30 days before transferring a gun if there is no clear approval or denial, closing what is sometimes called the "Charleston loophole."

  2. Applies to all types of sales and transfers. The 30-day waiting period applies not only to licensed dealers but also to private sales, gun shows, and transfers involving rifles, shotguns, and handguns—greatly expanding the coverage compared to some existing laws.

  3. Aims to prevent prohibited purchasers from acquiring firearms. By giving law enforcement and the FBI more time to complete background checks, the bill seeks to reduce the risk that individuals who are legally barred from owning guns (due to criminal records, restraining orders, etc.) can obtain them simply because of administrative delays.

  4. Imposes stricter compliance requirements for dealers. Licensed firearms dealers and gunsmiths must now track and retain transaction records for longer periods and ensure background checks are fully processed or the full waiting period elapses before completing a sale, increasing their record-keeping and compliance burdens.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Extend Gun Background Checks

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

History

  1. Substituted by S2374
  2. Ordered to third reading rules cal.25
  3. Rules report cal.25
  4. Reported
  5. Reported referred to rules
  6. Referred to codes

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S2374Senate

Extend Gun Background Checks

Signed by Governor · Sponsor Michael Gianaris

Impact 6 · ModerateSigned into law

Full text

3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

2690

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 24, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, LENTOL, HEASTIE, DINOWITZ, GALEF, GOTT- FRIED, MOSLEY, SIMON, JAFFEE, BLAKE, BUCHWALD, ABINANTI, OTIS, STECK, FAHY, TAYLOR, D'URSO, SIMOTAS, ORTIZ, ENGLEBRIGHT, WEPRIN, HEVESI, PERRY, SEAWRIGHT, BICHOTTE, CRUZ, FRONTUS, GRIFFIN, JACOBSON, PICHAR- DO, REYES, SAYEGH, STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes

AN ACT to amend the penal law and the general business law, in relation to establishing an extension of time of up to thirty calendar days for national instant background checks

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, 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 superintendent 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 identification 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) thirty calendar days have elapsed since the date the licensee contacted NICS to initiate a national instant 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

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD00627-05-9

A. 2690 2

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 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 superintendent 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 superintendent 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 pursuant to his special duties, or police officer. In the event of cancellation 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.

§ 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 400.20 to read as follows: § 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) thirty calendar 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.

§ 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) thirty calendar 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.

A. 2690 3

§ 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 federal law, all sales, exchanges or disposals of firearms, rifles or shotguns shall be conducted in accordance with this section unless such sale, exchange or disposal is conducted by a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer, as those terms are defined in 18 USC § 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 licensee, or (b) thirty calendar 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 family" 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 background 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) thirty calendar 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.

§ 5. This act shall take effect on the forty-fifth 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.