Although this site is dedicated to keeping readers informed on Second Amendment news in New Jersey, occasionally news crosses our desk from other states that could potentially have a widespread impact on Second Amendment rights across the country.
This week New York State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud sponsored a bill (S929) to, “limit the sale of ammunition designed for use in assault weapons to twice the capacity of such weapon(s) to those authorized to possess said weapon(s) within a one hundred twenty-day period.”
In New York, where there is a 10 round magazine capacity, this would equate to roughly 20 rounds every four months. The penalty for violating the law is a Class E Felony.
According to the nysenate.gov site, as of January 12, the bill’s status is “Stricken” and it was recommitted, suggesting that in its current form it either wasn’t popular or wouldn’t pass any kind of legal, ethical, or constitutional standards review. The bill also appears to have been introduced in another form during the 2021-2022 legislative session.
The bill’s text seems to infer that those who legally own so-called “assault weapons” have nefarious intent. The bill makes the following unsubstantiated claim under the “justification” section:
“This legislation seeks to reduce the sale of ammunition capacity for assault weapons. Assault weapons are particularly lethal and have little application to the time-honored sport of hunting game. The purpose of assault weapons is assault. Unfettered purchases of such ammunition enable stockpiling and further contribute to the growing epidemic of mass shootings.”
In fact, the modern sporting rifles regulated under the bill’s reach are commonly used in New York state by numerous law abiding citizens for hunting, sport and target shooting, competitive shooting and self-defense. The omission of these lawful activities is likely not coincidence, but rather reflect the anti-gun agenda that New York state has been pushing in defiance of the Bruen decision.
Senator Persaud is also the sponsor of bill S930, which, “Restricts the sale of ammunition to only individuals authorized to possess such weapon; creates the no-gun database under the division of criminal justice services.”
Although it begs the question of how a person with ammunition is a menace to society, it also leaves out the many common scenarios where a friend or family member may be legally purchasing ammunition for a lawful firearms owner.
According to nysenate.gov:
“The bill would also direct the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to assemble a master database of all people in the state who have had their firearms seized or their rights to possess a firearm suspended.”
Firearms owners’ ears often perk up at the mention of such databases because of their potential to be abused.
When a bill status says “enacting clause stricken” it means its dead.