What's happening
The bill expands the definition of "disguised gun" to include real guns made to look like toy guns and makes it a felony to design or sell them.
Why it matters
Broadens what counts as a "disguised gun". By including real firearms made to look like toy guns (through color, decorative patterns, or plastic surfaces), the law targets weapons that could be mistaken for toys, potentially increasing public safety—especially for children and law enforcement who may not be able to quickly distinguish real from fake.
Directly addresses a loophole. Prior law focused on guns disguised as objects other than guns; this bill closes a gap by also covering guns designed to look specifically like toy guns, reflecting concerns over recent trends in gun customization.
Makes design and sale a felony. By creating felony-level penalties for those who intentionally make or sell these disguised firearms, the bill aims to deter both manufacturers and retailers from producing or distributing such weapons, not just targeting individual possession.
Provides a clear exception for hunters. The law explicitly exempts rifles and shotguns with camouflage patterns intended for hunting, acknowledging legitimate sporting uses and aiming to avoid unintended consequences for lawful gun owners.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Toy-Lookalike Guns
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- 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.
Ban Toy-Lookalike Guns
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Monica Martinez
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6947
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 27, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LENTOL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to redefining the term "disguised gun" to include any rifle, pistol, shotgun or machine-gun resembling a toy gun and prohibiting the possession, manufacture or design thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 20 of section 265.00 of the penal law, as added by chapter 378 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
20. "Disguised gun" means any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive and is designed and intended to appear to be either; (a) something other than a gun; or (b) a toy gun that shall include, but not be limited to, any rifle, pistol, shotgun or machinegun displaying a color finish other than the original manufacture color, a decorative pattern or plastic like surface; provided, however, that any rifle or shotgun displaying a camouflage color finish or pattern that is intended for hunting, as defined by article eleven of the environmental conservation law, shall not be considered a "disguised gun" for purposes of this section.
§ 2. Section 265.10 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. Any person, dealer, firm, partnership or corporation who intentionally designs or transforms a rifle, pistol, shotgun or machine-gun to resemble a toy gun by either altering or concealing the original color or surface of the gun with the purpose of selling such weapon is guilty of a class D felony.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10401-01-9
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.