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A7362Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS7780

Require Hearings for Gun Laws

Official title

“Requires public hearings prior to the passage of any legislation relating to gun control”

Sponsor William A. BarclayAD-120+25 co-sponsors
Status
In Assembly Committee
Governmental Operations
Impact
4/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Governmental Operations

What's happening

This bill requires at least five public hearings across New York before any state legislation on gun control can be passed.

Why it matters

  1. Ensures statewide input. By mandating regional hearings, the bill guarantees that perspectives from different parts of New York—including rural, urban, and suburban communities—are considered before any gun control law is enacted.

  2. Increases legislative transparency. Requiring that all testimony be compiled into a public report and posted online allows citizens to see exactly what issues, concerns, and support were raised during the hearings, fostering government accountability.

  3. Slows legislative process for deliberation. By establishing a minimum 30-day waiting period and multiple hearings, the bill could slow the passage of gun control laws, aiming to prevent rushed legislation and encourage thoughtful debate.

  4. Expands definition of gun control. The bill broadly defines “gun control legislation” to include any changes to the right to own, possess, carry, or fire firearms, meaning a wide range of bills—not just those involving restrictions—would trigger these hearing requirements.

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Who cares

  • Senate and Assembly codes committees

    They would have to conduct at least five regional public hearings, jointly or separately, at least 30 days before a vote on gun control legislation and publish hearing schedules and testimony reports.

  • Firearm owners

    They would gain opportunities to comment on bills changing their rights to own, possess, carry or fire a firearm before lawmakers vote.

  • Gun rights and gun control advocacy organizations

    They would have regional forums to present statements on proposed firearm legislation and access to testimony reports on both legislative websites.

Headline styles

Require Hearings for Gun Laws

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

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
William A. Barclay

Assembly Member · Assembly District 120

History

  1. Referred to governmental operations
  2. Referred to governmental operations

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.

S7780Senate

Require Hearings on Gun Laws

In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Daphne Jordan

Impact 4 · Low0% to pass

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

7362

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

April 26, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. BARCLAY, BLANKENBUSH, BRABENEC, BYRNE, BYRNES, CROUCH, DeSTEFANO, FINCH, GIGLIO, KOLB, LALOR, LAWRENCE, McDONOUGH, B. MILLER, MORINELLO, NORRIS, PALMESANO, SALKA, SMULLEN, REILLY, STEC, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations

AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring public hearings prior to the passage of any legislation relating to gun control

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 32-b to read as follows:

§ 32-b. Gun control legislation; public hearings. After introduction and a minimum of thirty days prior to voting on any bill relating to gun control the senate codes committee and the assembly codes committee jointly or separately shall conduct a minimum of five public hearings on such bills. Such hearings shall be conducted regionally to provide individuals and organizations throughout the state with an opportunity to comment on such bills. The committees shall make every effort to hear all those who wish to present statements at such public hearings. The chairs of the committees jointly or separately shall publish a schedule of hearings. The testimony from such hearings shall be compiled into a report and posted on the assembly's website and senate's website for public review. For purposes of this section the term "gun control legislation" shall mean any legislation which amends, restricts, or in any other manner changes an individual's right to own, possess, carry, or fire any pistol, handgun, rifle, shotgun, or other firearm.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD10948-02-9

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.