Pirate's Cove

I’m expecting that the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, the group that sued New York which generated the recent Supreme Court decision, is paying attention for their next lawsuit, as the NY Daily News editorial board says the quiet part outloud (you can read it not behind a paywall here)

Gun sense: New York’s revised gun laws should make the state safer and pass constitutional muster

It was embarrassing that after Gov. Hochul called an extraordinary session to overhaul New York’s gun laws in the wake of the Supreme Court’s evisceration, she and the Legislature took a day to show their cards. But the substance of the statute that emerged Friday is what really counts, and here, we have confidence that it’ll help protect police and civilians from the potential mayhem of concealed firearms everywhere.

In striking down New York’s 111-year-old Sullivan Law, the Supreme Court said the state could no longer require individuals to demonstrate a heightened need to carry a concealed weapon above and beyond typical public safety fears. So that’s out — but in is a rigorous new permitting regime required for all.

For the first time, the state will make all applicants pass firearm training. It will require four character references. It will scan “former and current social media accounts” of those seeking weapons, presumably to rule out those who are unstable or have shown a penchant for violence. There will be a new licensing system for and database of ammunition sales. Safe-storage requirements will get tighter.

Add it all up, and assuming these requirements survive inevitable court challenges, it’s going to remain fairly difficult to arm oneself legally in New York.

It’s just another way to make it almost impossible for law abiding citizens to carry for personal protection. There’s almost no crime committed by those with a concealed carry permit. You know that this intrusion into social media will allow the gun hating bureaucrats to deny permits. Stronger safe storage will make a firearm for home defense almost useless. References? This will all get crushed by new lawsuits. Citizens will just purchase ammo from other states

To mitigate that likelihood, the law liberally defines the court-approved “sensitive locations” where firearm carry can be restricted, including places of worship, educational institutions, “any place…used for public transit,” stadiums, polling places, any place where alcohol is consumed, Times Square, “any gathering of individuals to collectively express their constitutional rights to protest or assemble,” and more while making other private businesses presumptively no-carry zones unless their owners decide otherwise.

And that, again, is what makes it almost impossible to carry. You can walk around, but, most places will not post that citizens can carry inside. A lot won’t even know they need to post if they want to allow concealed carry holders in their businesses. This will lose in court again, because it is designed, as the editorial board points out, to make it fairly difficult for law abiding citizens to use their 2nd Amendment right.