Relates to prohibiting the possession of certain 50 caliber firearms; directs the division of state police to embark on a program whereby persons currently in lawful possession of such weapons may be reimbursed for the fair market value thereof upon turning in such weapons to a designated officer.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2978
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 26, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law and the executive law, in relation to
banning 50 caliber weapons
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings and declaration. The legislature here-
2 by finds and declares that 50 caliber or larger weapons having the
3 capacity for rapidly discharging ammunition have no acceptable purpose.
4 The legislature additionally finds and declares that such weapons pose
5 such an imminent threat and danger to the safety and security of the
6 people of this state that it is necessary to ban the possession and use
7 of such weapons.
8 § 2. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "50
9 Caliber Threat Reduction Act".
10 § 3. Section 265.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
11 vision 36 to read as follows:
12 36. "50 caliber weapon" means:
13 (a) any rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge:
14 (i) of a caliber of 50 or greater, which shall include any metric
15 equivalent of 50 caliber or greater; or
16 (ii) that is capable of firing a projectile that attains a muzzle
17 energy of twelve thousand foot-pounds or greater in any combination of
18 bullet, propellant, case, or primer; or
19 (iii) any copy or duplicate of any such weapon that is capable of
20 firing a projectile that attains a muzzle energy of twelve thousand
21 foot-pounds or greater regardless of caliber;
22 (b) any rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge defined in
23 paragraph (a) of this subdivision, possessed prior to the effective date
24 of this subdivision;
25 (c) provided, however, that such term does not include:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07211-01-3
S. 2978 2
1 (i) any weapon capable of firing a center-fire cartridge that has been
2 rendered permanently inoperable;
3 (ii) any weapon capable of firing a center-fire cartridge that is an
4 antique firearm as defined in clause sixteen of paragraph (a) of section
5 nine hundred twenty-one of title eighteen of the United States code;
6 (iii) any weapon validly registered pursuant to subdivision twenty of
7 section 400.00 of this chapter. Such weapons shall be subject to the
8 provisions of paragraph (d) of this subdivision;
9 (iv) any weapon that was manufactured at least fifty years prior to
10 the current date, but not including replicas thereof, that is validly
11 registered pursuant to subdivision twenty of section 400.00 of this
12 chapter;
13 (v) any muzzle-loading rifle or shotgun with a rifled bore.
14 (d) Any weapon defined in paragraph (b) of this subdivision may only
15 be sold to, exchanged with or disposed of to a purchaser authorized to
16 possess such weapons or to an individual or entity outside of the state
17 provided that any such transfer to an individual or entity outside of
18 the state must be reported to the entity wherein the weapon is regis-
19 tered within seventy-two hours of such transfer. An individual who
20 transfers any such weapon to an individual inside New York state or
21 without complying with the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty
22 of a class A misdemeanor unless transferred within one year of the
23 effective date of this subdivision.
24 § 4. Section 400.00 of the penal law is amended by adding two new
25 subdivisions 20 and 21 to read as follows:
26 20. Registration of 50 caliber weapons. (a) An owner of a weapon
27 defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision thirty-six of section 265.00 of
28 this chapter, possessed before the effective date of this subdivision,
29 must make an application to register such weapon with the superintendent
30 of state police, in the manner provided by the superintendent, or by
31 amending a license issued pursuant to this section within one year of
32 the effective date of this subdivision except any weapon defined under
33 subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (c) of subdivision thirty-six of section
34 265.00 of this chapter transferred into the state may be registered at
35 any time, provided such weapons are registered within thirty days of
36 their transfer into the state. Registration information shall include
37 the registrant's name, date of birth, gender, race, residential address,
38 social security number and description of each weapon being registered.
39 A registration of any weapon defined under subparagraph (iv) of para-
40 graph (c) of subdivision thirty-six of section 265.00 of this chapter
41 shall be transferable, provided that the seller notifies the state
42 police within seventy-two hours of the transfer and the buyer provides
43 the state police with information sufficient to constitute a registra-
44 tion under this section. Such registration shall not be valid if such
45 registrant is prohibited or becomes prohibited from possessing a firearm
46 pursuant to state or federal law. The superintendent shall determine
47 whether such registrant is prohibited from possessing a firearm under
48 state or federal law. Such check shall be limited to determining whether
49 the factors in paragraph (g) of section nine hundred twenty-two of title
50 eighteen of the United States code apply or whether a registrant has
51 been convicted of a serious offense as defined in subdivision seventeen
52 of section 265.00 of this chapter, so as to prohibit such registrant
53 from possessing a firearm, and whether a report has been issued pursuant
54 to section 9.46 of the mental hygiene law. All registrants shall recer-
55 tify to the division of state police every five years thereafter. Fail-
56 ure to recertify shall result in a revocation of such registration.
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1 (b) Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of paragraph (a) of
2 this subdivision, an owner of a 50 caliber weapon as defined in subdivi-
3 sion thirty-six of section 265.00 of this chapter, who is a qualified
4 retired New York or federal law enforcement officer as defined in subdi-
5 vision twenty-five of section 265.00 of this chapter, where such weapon
6 was issued to or purchased by such officer prior to retirement and in
7 the course of his or her official duties, and for which such officer was
8 qualified by the agency that employed such officer within twelve months
9 prior to his or her retirement, must register such weapon within sixty
10 days of retirement.
11 (c) The superintendent of state police shall create and maintain a "50
12 caliber weapons" page or section on the existing internet website,
13 created pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision sixteen-a of this
14 section, to educate the public as to which 50 caliber weapons are ille-
15 gal as a result of the enactment of this subdivision, as well as such 50
16 caliber weapons which are illegal pursuant to article two hundred
17 sixty-five of this chapter. Such website shall contain information to
18 assist the public in recognizing the relevant features proscribed by
19 such article two hundred sixty-five, as well as which make and model of
20 weapons require registration.
21 (d) A person who knowingly fails to apply to register such weapon, as
22 required by this section, within one year of the effective date of this
23 subdivision shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and such person who
24 unknowingly fails to validly register such weapon within such one year
25 period shall be given a warning by an appropriate law enforcement
26 authority about such failure and given thirty days in which to apply to
27 register such weapon or to surrender it. A failure to apply or surrender
28 such weapon within such thirty-day period shall result in such weapon
29 being removed by an appropriate law enforcement authority and declared a
30 nuisance.
31 (e) The cost of the software, programming and interface required to
32 transmit any record that must be electronically transmitted by the deal-
33 er or licensing officer to the division of state police pursuant to this
34 chapter shall be borne by the state.
35 21. Applicability of section. The provisions of article two hundred
36 sixty-five of this chapter relating to illegal possession of a firearm,
37 shall not apply to an offense which also constitutes a violation of this
38 section by a person holding an otherwise valid license under the
39 provisions of this section and such offense shall only be punishable as
40 a class A misdemeanor pursuant to this section. In addition, the
41 provisions of such article two hundred sixty-five shall not apply to the
42 possession of a firearm in a place not authorized by law, by a person
43 who holds an otherwise valid license or possession of a firearm by a
44 person within a one year period after the stated expiration date of an
45 otherwise valid license which has not been previously cancelled or
46 revoked shall only be punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to
47 this section.
48 § 5. Section 265.02 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
49 vision 11 to read as follows:
50 (11) Such person possesses a 50 caliber weapon.
51 § 6. Subdivision 3 of section 265.00 of the penal law, as amended by
52 chapter 211 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
53 3. "Firearm" means (a) any pistol or revolver; or (b) a shotgun having
54 one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length; or (c) a rifle
55 having one or more barrels less than sixteen inches in length; or (d)
56 any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle whether by alteration, modifica-
S. 2978 4
1 tion, or otherwise if such weapon as altered, modified, or otherwise has
2 an overall length of less than twenty-six inches; or (e) an assault
3 weapon; or (f) a 50 caliber weapon; or (g) any other weapon that is not
4 otherwise defined in this section containing any component that provides
5 housing or a structure designed to hold or integrate any fire control
6 component that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a
7 projectile by action of explosive. For the purpose of this subdivision
8 the length of the barrel on a shotgun or rifle shall be determined by
9 measuring the distance between the muzzle and the face of the bolt,
10 breech, or breechlock when closed and when the shotgun or rifle is
11 cocked; the overall length of a weapon made from a shotgun or rifle is
12 the distance between the extreme ends of the weapon measured along a
13 line parallel to the center line of the bore. Firearm does not include
14 an antique firearm.
15 § 7. Subdivisions 1, 2, 3 and 6 of section 265.10 of the penal law,
16 subdivisions 1 and 2 as separately amended by chapters 34, 130 and 146
17 of the laws of 2019, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 130 of the laws
18 of 2019, and subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 189 of the laws of
19 2000, are amended to read as follows:
20 1. Any person who manufactures or causes to be manufactured any
21 machine-gun, assault weapon, 50 caliber weapon, large capacity ammuni-
22 tion feeding device or disguised gun is guilty of a class D felony. Any
23 person who manufactures or causes to be manufactured any rapid-fire
24 modification device is guilty of a class E felony. Any person who manu-
25 factures or causes to be manufactured any switchblade knife, pilum
26 ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, undetectable knife, billy,
27 blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles, Kung Fu star,
28 chuka stick, sandbag, sandclub or slungshot is guilty of a class A
29 misdemeanor.
30 2. Any person who transports or ships any machine-gun, firearm silenc-
31 er, assault weapon, 50 caliber weapon or large capacity ammunition feed-
32 ing device or disguised gun, or who transports or ships as merchandise
33 five or more firearms, is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who
34 transports or ships any rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a
35 class E felony. Any person who transports or ships as merchandise any
36 firearm, other than an assault weapon or 50 caliber weapon, switchblade
37 knife, pilum ballistic knife, undetectable knife, billy, blackjack,
38 bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles, Kung Fu star, chuka stick,
39 sandbag or slungshot is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
40 3. Any person who disposes of any machine-gun, assault weapon, 50
41 caliber weapon, large capacity ammunition feeding device or firearm
42 silencer is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who disposes of any
43 rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a class E felony. Any person
44 who knowingly buys, receives, disposes of, or conceals a machine-gun, 50
45 caliber weapon, firearm, large capacity ammunition feeding device, rifle
46 or shotgun which has been defaced for the purpose of concealment or
47 prevention of the detection of a crime or misrepresenting the identity
48 of such machine-gun, 50 caliber weapon, firearm, large capacity ammuni-
49 tion feeding device, rifle or shotgun is guilty of a class D felony.
50 6. Any person who wilfully defaces any machine-gun, 50 caliber weapon,
51 large capacity ammunition feeding device or firearm is guilty of a class
52 D felony.
53 § 8. Paragraph 8 of subdivision a of section 265.20 of the penal law,
54 as amended by chapter 130 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
55 follows:
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1 8. The manufacturer of machine-guns, firearm silencers, assault weap-
2 ons, large capacity ammunition feeding devices, 50 caliber weapons,
3 rapid-fire modification devices, disguised guns, pilum ballistic knives,
4 switchblade or gravity knives, billies or blackjacks as merchandise, or
5 as a transferee recipient of the same for repair, lawful distribution or
6 research and development, and the disposal and shipment thereof direct
7 to a regularly constituted or appointed state or municipal police
8 department, sheriff, police officer or other peace officer, or to a
9 state prison, penitentiary, workhouse, county jail or other institution
10 for the detention of persons convicted or accused of crime or held as
11 witnesses in criminal cases, or to the military service of this state or
12 of the United States; or for the repair and return of the same to the
13 lawful possessor or for research and development.
14 § 9. Section 265.20 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
15 vision f to read as follows:
16 f. The terms "pistol," "revolver," "rifle," and "shotgun" as used in
17 paragraphs three through five, seven through seven-b, twelve, thirteen
18 and thirteen-a of subdivision a of this section shall not include a 50
19 caliber weapon as defined in subdivision thirty-six of section 265.00 of
20 this article.
21 § 10. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 236 to read
22 as follows:
23 § 236. Compliance with the ban on the sale, possession or use of 50
24 caliber weapons. 1. From within amounts appropriated therefor, the
25 division of state police shall take such action as is necessary to
26 implement a program whereby persons, including dealers of firearms, in
27 lawful possession of 50 caliber weapons may bring themselves into
28 compliance with the provisions of the penal law which bans the sale,
29 possession or use of such weapons.
30 2. Within thirty days of the effective date of this section, any
31 licensed firearm dealer who has in his or her possession a new 50 cali-
32 ber weapon shall be entitled to return such weapon to the distributor or
33 manufacturer, and shall be entitled to a full refund, or credit, in an
34 amount equal to the purchase price of such weapon. In any case where a
35 distributor or manufacturer fails or refuses to so refund or credit such
36 dealer, the dealer shall notify the division of state police, and it
37 shall immediately notify the attorney general so that he or she may
38 intercede and take such actions on behalf of the dealer to secure such
39 refund or credit.
40 3. Within thirty days of the effective date of this section, any
41 person, including a licensed firearm dealer, who has in his or her legal
42 possession a used 50 caliber weapon shall personally deliver such weapon
43 to the division of state police, and upon transferring ownership and
44 possession to a duly designated officer thereof, shall be entitled to
45 receive payment in an amount equal to the fair market value of such
46 weapon, but not to exceed eight thousand five hundred dollars.
47 4. The division of state police shall take such action, including a
48 public campaign using the print media, television, radio or other means
49 to notify persons of the existence of the program established in this
50 section.
51 § 11. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
52 sections one through nine of this act shall take effect on the thirtieth
53 day after this act shall have become a law.
