New York Senate Approves Changes to NY SAFE Act

The New York State Senate has approved a measure that would reform the controversial NY SAFE Act.

As the Democrat & Chronicle reports, Senate Bill 5837 passed on Monday by a vote of 35-26. The bill is sponsored by Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, whose district includes a Remington Arms gun manufacturing plant.

The changes that would be made to the NY SAFE Act include doing away with the requirement that every ammunition buyer must undergo a background check. In addition, the gifting of legally registered semi-automatic long guns to family members who pass a background check would also be permitted. Another administrative change involves preventing gun registration information from being made public.

Senate Bill 5837 also gives local county clerks and officials — not State Police — control of the pistol permit recertification process. The final change to the controversial NY SAFE Act — which passed in 2013 — would “clarify” the reporting requirements for gun owners with mental health issues.

“The NY-SAFE Act imposed new costs on law-abiding gun owners, sports shop owners, and localities. More importantly, it is a clear-cut violation of our Second Amendment rights,” Seward said in a statement. “Along with costing us our freedoms and making gun ownership more expensive, the law has completely failed to make us any safer or prevent criminals from illegally obtaining guns. Enacting these changes is a step toward righting a substantial wrong.”

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According to WBNG, the bill will now be sent to the New York State Assembly, where it will be sponsored by Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica).