What's happening
This bill criminalizes the possession and sale of unfinished firearm frames or receivers, making such actions a class E felony in New York.
Why it matters
Expands the definition of “gunsmith”. to include anyone assembling or manufacturing firearms, even for personal use—potentially requiring more individuals to obtain gunsmith licenses and comply with regulations.
Establishes a clear legal definition for “unfinished frame or receiver,”. targeting components often used to build untraceable “ghost guns,” which could close loopholes in existing firearm regulations.
Makes mere possession of unfinished frames or receivers a criminal offense,. signaling a significant tightening of state-level gun control and affecting hobbyists, home builders, and parts sellers.
Classifies the sale, exchange, or distribution of unfinished frames or receivers as a felony,. increasing legal risks for individuals and businesses involved in the sale or trade of firearm parts, and aiming to prevent the proliferation of DIY firearms.
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
People who build guns for personal use
The bill would expand the definition of gunsmith to include assembling or building firearms, rifles or shotguns, even for personal use.
Unfinished frame and receiver owners
The bill would add possession of an unfinished frame or receiver to the penal law’s weapons possession offenses.
Sellers and buyers of unfinished frames and receivers
The bill would make selling, exchanging, giving, purchasing or otherwise obtaining these items a class E felony, subject to statutory exemptions.
Police and prosecutors
The bill would define unfinished frames and receivers and create new possession and transfer offenses for enforcement.
Headline styles
Ban Ghost Gun Parts
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 Ghost Gun Parts
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Anna Kaplan
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8650
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 2, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to unfinished frames and receivers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 265.00 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 189 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
8. "Gunsmith" means any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who engages in the business of repairing, altering, assembling, manufacturing, cleaning, polishing, engraving or trueing, or who performs any mechanical operation on, any firearm, large capacity ammunition feeding device or machine-gun and shall also include assembling, manufacturing, fabricating, building, or fitting together the component parts of a firearm, rifle or shotgun, regardless of whether the firearm, rifle or shotgun is intended for personal use, commercial sale, or any other purpose.
§ 2. The opening paragraph of subdivision a of section 265.20 of the penal law, as separately amended by chapters 130 and 134 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
Paragraph (h) of subdivision twenty-two of section 265.00 and sections 265.01, 265.01-a, subdivision one of section 265.01-b, 265.01-c, 265.02, 265.03, 265.04, 265.05, 265.07, 265.10, 265.11, 265.12, 265.13, 265.15, 265.36, 265.37 and 270.05 shall not apply to:
§ 3. Section 265.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 31 to read as follows:
31. "Unfinished frame or receiver" means a frame or receiver of a firearm, rifle or shotgun whose fire-control cavity is completely solid and un-machined, and which may readily be made into a functional frame or receiver through milling, drilling or other means and includes any
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13798-02-9
A. 8650 2
other object, part or combination of parts which is not a functional frame or receiver but is designed or intended to be used for that purpose and can be readily made into a functional frame or receiver.
§ 4. Section 265.01 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
(9) He or she possesses an unfinished frame or receiver.
§ 5. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 265.07 to read as follows: § 265.07 Criminal sale of an unfinished frame or receiver.
A person is guilty of criminal sale of an unfinished frame or receiver when he or she sells, exchanges, gives, disposes of, purchases, or otherwise obtains an unfinished frame or receiver.
Criminal sale of an unfinished frame or receiver is a class E felony.
§ 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided however that if section 3 of chapter 134 of the laws of 2019 is not in effect on such date then section two of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as section 3 of chapter 134 of the laws of 2019 takes effect.
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.