What's happening
This bill establishes a municipal gun buyback program administered by the state police and creates a dedicated funding mechanism for it.
Why it matters
Centralizes oversight of gun buyback programs under the New York State Police. , ensuring consistent standards, safety procedures, and accountability across municipalities. This could improve trust in the process and the effectiveness of firearm removal efforts.
Provides a mechanism for local agencies to access dedicated state funding. , enabling more communities—including those with limited resources—to implement buyback programs and possibly increasing the overall number of guns removed from circulation.
Requires clear rules for safe handling, disposal, and return of firearms. , including provisions for returning stolen property to rightful owners and retaining evidence in potential crime cases, which addresses both public safety and due process concerns.
Allows for local tailoring and community engagement. by requiring coordination with community groups and permitting agencies to design programs to fit local needs, potentially increasing community participation and the impact of buybacks.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Start City Gun Buybacks
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
32 Co-sponsors
- Andrea Stewart-Cousins
- Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.
- Jamaal Bailey
- Brian Benjamin
- Alessandra Biaggi
- Neil D. Breslin
- John E. Brooks
- David Carlucci
- Leroy Comrie
- Jim Gaughran
- Michael Gianaris
- Andrew Gounardes
- Pete Harckham
- Brad Hoylman-Sigal
- Robert Jackson
- Todd Kaminsky
- Anna Kaplan
- Brian Kavanagh
- Liz Krueger
- John Liu
- Velmanette Montgomery
- Zellnor Myrie
- Kevin S. Parker
- Roxanne J. Persaud
- Jessica Ramos
- Julia Salazar
- Diane J. Savino
- Luis R. Sepúlveda
- José M. Serrano
- James Skoufis
- Toby Ann Stavisky
- Kevin Thomas
History
- Signed chap.139
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.22
- Substituted for A2685
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 50–13
- Ordered to third reading cal.93
- Reported and committed to rules
- 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.
Create Local Gun Buyback Fund
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 2449 A. 2685
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sens. MAYER, STEWART-COUSINS, ADDABBO, BAILEY, BENJAMIN, BIAGGI, BRESLIN, BROOKS, CARLUCCI, COMRIE, GAUGHRAN, GIANARIS, GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, HOYLMAN, JACKSON, KAMINSKY, KAPLAN, KAVANAGH, KRUEGER, LIU, MONTGOMERY, MYRIE, PARKER, PERSAUD, RAMOS, SALAZAR, SAVINO, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO, SKOUFIS, STAVISKY, THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, HEASTIE, LENTOL, PEOPLES-STOKES, GOTTFRIED, ABINANTI, JAFFEE, WEPRIN, CRUZ, FRONTUS, GRIFFIN, JACOBSON, PICHARDO, REYES, SAYEGH, STECK, STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the municipal gun buyback program; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to the municipal gun buyback program fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 233 to read as follows:
§ 233. Municipal gun buyback program. 1. There is hereby established within the division of the state police a municipal gun buyback program. Agencies approved by the superintendent may participate subject to available appropriations and funds in the municipal gun buyback fund established pursuant to section ninety-seven-cc of the state finance law.
2. The division of state police shall administer the municipal gun buyback program and promulgate rules and regulations the superintendent deems necessary for the implementation of such program. Such rules shall include, but not be limited to:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
SA LBD08822-02-9
S. 2449 2 A. 2685
(a) the manner in which an agency may apply for funds to support a municipal gun buyback program and the manner in which such funds will be allocated and distributed;
(b) guidelines for the safe storage and disposal of firearms, rifles, shotguns, and ammunition received as part of the program in the possession of the participating agency, return of any recovered stolen property to its rightful owner as appropriate, and retention for evidence of any firearm, rifle, or shotgun suspected to have been used in a crime;
(c) guidelines for an agency participating in the program to coordinate with community groups within its jurisdiction; and
(d) guidelines for allowing individuals to surrender firearms, rifles and shotguns and eligibility for monetary rewards.
3. The provisions of subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of subdivision a of section 265.20 of the penal law shall apply to any person voluntarily surrendering a firearm, rifle or shotgun pursuant to this section.
4. Any agency shall be authorized to develop and implement its own municipal gun buyback program provided it is otherwise permitted by law and conforms to the rules and regulations promulgated by the superintendent and outlined in subdivision two of this section.
5. For purposes of this section "agency" means the police force or department of any county, city, town, or village or a county sheriff.
§ 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-cc to read as follows:
§ 97-cc. Municipal gun buyback program fund. 1. There is hereby established, in the joint custody of the comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance a fund to be known as the municipal gun buyback program fund.
2. Such fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated for the purpose of such fund, all other moneys required to be paid into, transferred or credited to such fund, and all moneys received by the fund or donated to it.
3. Moneys of the municipal gun buyback program fund shall be solely available, following appropriation by the legislature and in accordance with law to assist agencies, as defined in section two hundred thirtythree of the executive law, to operate buyback programs according to the rules and regulations of the superintendent of the state police.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the municipal gun buyback program; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to the municipal gun buyback program fund
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill directs the Division of State Police, in conjunction with the Department of State, to provide a statewide standard of for the safe removal of illegal, unsecured, abandoned, or unwanted firearms. These rules and regulations would replicate those programs that have been successfully implemented around the state.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the executive law by adding a new section 233.
Section two amends the state finance law by adding a new section 97-cc. Section three sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Around the country, local communities in conjunction with their police departments have taken action to reduce the Proliferation of guns in our neighborhoods. In light of the recent events in Newton, CT., New York State has led the way in tightening access to assault weapons and ille- gal firearms.
Across the state, many organizations are hosting "gun buyback" programs to get rid of unwanted or illegal guns. While the popularity of these programs continues to grow, they do not occur everywhere and lack consistent standards. It is important that the State set minimum stand- ards to ensure that these programs accomplish their stated goals of reducing the proliferation of guns in our neighborhood and require that these programs take place in every county in the state.
This legislation would create sound guidelines and establish statewide regulations aimed at strengthening existing gun buyback programs and create new programs to ensure easy accessibility to the public, and that best practices are being followed by all localities.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: A.1315 Referred to Codes 2013-14: A.6650 - Referred to Codes 2018: S8439
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.