STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         9903--A

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 26, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of A. L. ROSENTHAL, BUCHWALD, STERN -- read once and
          referred to the Committee  on  Codes  --  committee  discharged,  bill
          amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
          tee

        AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to enacting the Jose  Webster
          untraceable firearms act

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and  may  be  cited  as  the  "Jose
     2  Webster untraceable firearms act".
     3    §  2.  Subdivision 8 of section 265.00 of the penal law, as amended by
     4  chapter 189 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
     5    8. "Gunsmith" means (a) any person, firm, partnership, corporation  or
     6  company  who engages in the business of repairing, altering, assembling,
     7  manufacturing,  cleaning,  polishing,  engraving  or  trueing,  or   who
     8  performs  any mechanical operation on, any firearm, large capacity ammu-
     9  nition feeding device or machine-gun; or (b) any person  who  assembles,
    10  manufactures,  fabricates,  builds, or fits together the component parts
    11  of a firearm, rifle or shotgun, regardless of whether the firearm, rifle
    12  or shotgun is intended for personal use,  commercial  sale  or  for  any
    13  other  purpose.    "Gunsmith"  shall not include any person who performs
    14  routine cleaning or maintenance on a lawfully possessed  firearm,  rifle
    15  or shotgun for non-commercial purposes.
    16    § 3. Section 265.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
    17  vision 31 to read as follows:
    18    31. "Ghost gun" means a firearm, rifle or shotgun that does not comply
    19  with the provisions of section 265.07 of this article and is not serial-
    20  ized  in  accordance with the requirements imposed on licensed importers
    21  and licensed manufacturers pursuant to subsection (i) of Section 923  of
    22  Title 18 of the United States Code and regulations issued pursuant ther-
    23  eto,  except  for antique firearms as defined in subdivision fourteen of
    24  this section, as added by chapter nine hundred eighty-six of the laws of
    25  nineteen hundred seventy-four, or any firearm, rifle or shotgun manufac-
    26  tured prior to nineteen hundred sixty-eight.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15385-07-0

        A. 9903--A                          2

     1    § 4. Subdivision 10 of section 265.02 of the penal law,  as  added  by
     2  chapter  1  of  the laws of 2013, is amended and a new subdivision 11 is
     3  added to read as follows:
     4    (10)  Such  person  possesses an unloaded firearm and also commits any
     5  violent felony offense as defined in subdivision one of section 70.02 of
     6  this chapter as part of the same criminal transaction[.]; or
     7    (11) Such person is not a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant  to  section
     8  400.00  of  this  chapter and possesses a ghost gun, provided that for a
     9  period of six months after the effective date  of  this  subdivision,  a
    10  person  shall  not  be  guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the
    11  third degree when such person possesses a ghost gun during  the  process
    12  of  providing  such  ghost  gun  to a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant to
    13  section 400.00 of this chapter for the purposes of having such ghost gun
    14  serialized and registered pursuant to section 265.07 of this article.
    15    § 5. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 265.07  to  read
    16  as follows:
    17  § 265.07 Registration  and  serialization of firearms, rifles, shotguns,
    18             finished  frames  or  receivers,  and  unfinished  frames  or
    19             receivers by gunsmiths.
    20    (1)  For  the purposes of this section, "unfinished frame or receiver"
    21  means a piece of any material that does  not  constitute  the  frame  or
    22  receiver  of  a  firearm,  rifle  or shotgun but that has been shaped or
    23  formed in any way for the purpose of becoming the frame or receiver of a
    24  firearm, rifle or shotgun, and which may readily be made  into  a  func-
    25  tional  frame or receiver through milling, drilling or other means.  The
    26  term shall not include a piece of material that  has  had  its  size  or
    27  external  shape  altered  to facilitate transportation or storage or has
    28  had its chemical composition altered.
    29    (2) A gunsmith shall engrave, cast, stamp or  otherwise  conspicuously
    30  place  both  a  unique  serial number and his or her name (or recognized
    31  abbreviation) on any firearm, rifle, shotgun, finished frame or  receiv-
    32  er,  or unfinished frame or receiver that he or she manufactures, assem-
    33  bles or causes to be manufactured or assembled after the effective  date
    34  of  this section, regardless of the manner of manufacturing or assembly,
    35  in a manner that  satisfies  or  exceeds  the  requirements  imposed  on
    36  licensed importers and licensed manufacturers pursuant to subsection (i)
    37  of  Section  923  of  Title 18 of the United States Code and regulations
    38  issued pursuant thereto.
    39    (3) A gunsmith shall register with the division of  state  police  any
    40  firearm, rifle, shotgun, finished frame or receiver, or unfinished frame
    41  or receiver that he or she manufactures, assembles or causes to be manu-
    42  factured  or assembled after the effective date of this section, regard-
    43  less of the manner of manufacturing or assembly, that would  not  other-
    44  wise  be  subject  to the requirements imposed on licensed importers and
    45  licensed manufacturers pursuant to subsection  (i)  of  Section  923  of
    46  Title 18 of the United States Code and regulations issued pursuant ther-
    47  eto.
    48    Any  gunsmith  who fails to comply with the provisions of this section
    49  shall be guilty of a class C felony.
    50    § 6. Section 265.10 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
    51  vision 8 to read as follows:
    52    8. Any person other than a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant to  section
    53  400.00  of  this chapter who assembles, manufactures, fabricates, builds
    54  or fits together the component parts of a  firearm,  rifle  or  shotgun,
    55  other  than  for  the purposes of performing routine cleaning or mainte-

        A. 9903--A                          3

     1  nance on a lawfully possessed firearm, rifle or shotgun for  non-commer-
     2  cial purposes, is guilty of a class C felony.
     3    §  7.  The  penal  law is amended by adding three new sections 265.60,
     4  265.61 and 265.62 to read as follows:
     5  § 265.60 Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the third degree.
     6    1. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision two of this section,  a
     7  person  is  guilty  of  criminal sale of a ghost gun in the third degree
     8  when such person sells, exchanges, gives or disposes of a ghost gun.
     9    2. A person shall not be guilty of criminal sale of a ghost gun in the
    10  third degree when such person:
    11    (a) voluntarily surrenders such ghost gun to any law enforcement offi-
    12  cial designated pursuant to subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of  subdi-
    13  vision a of section 265.20 of this article; or
    14    (b)  within  six  months  after  the  effective  date of this section,
    15  provides such ghost gun to a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant to  section
    16  400.00 of this chapter for the purposes of having such ghost gun serial-
    17  ized and registered pursuant to section 265.07 of this article.
    18    Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the third degree is a class D felony.
    19  § 265.61 Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the second degree.
    20    1.  Except as otherwise provided in subdivision two of this section, a
    21  person is guilty of criminal sale of a ghost gun in  the  second  degree
    22  when such person:
    23    (a) sells, exchanges, gives or disposes of five or more ghost guns; or
    24    (b)  sells,  exchanges,  gives  or disposes of a total of five or more
    25  ghost guns in a period of not more than one year.
    26    2. A person shall not be guilty of criminal sale of a ghost gun in the
    27  second degree when such person:
    28    (a) voluntarily surrenders such ghost  guns  to  any  law  enforcement
    29  official  designated  pursuant  to  subparagraph (f) of paragraph one of
    30  subdivision a of section 265.20 of this article; or
    31    (b) within six months  after  the  effective  date  of  this  section,
    32  provides such ghost guns to a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant to section
    33  400.00  of this chapter for the purposes of having such ghost guns seri-
    34  alized and registered pursuant to section 265.07 of this article.
    35    Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the second degree is a class C felony.
    36  § 265.62 Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the first degree.
    37    1. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision two of this section,  a
    38  person  is  guilty  of  criminal sale of a ghost gun in the first degree
    39  when such person:
    40    (a) sells, exchanges, gives or disposes of ten or more ghost guns; or
    41    (b) sells, exchanges, gives or disposes of a  total  of  ten  or  more
    42  ghost guns in a period of not more than one year.
    43    2. A person shall not be guilty of criminal sale of a ghost gun in the
    44  first degree if such person:
    45    (a)  voluntarily  surrenders  such  ghost  guns to any law enforcement
    46  official designated pursuant to subparagraph (f)  of  paragraph  one  of
    47  subdivision a of section 265.20 of this article; or
    48    (b)  within  six  months  after  the  effective  date of this section,
    49  provides such ghost guns to a gunsmith duly licensed pursuant to section
    50  400.00 of this chapter for the purposes of having such ghost guns  seri-
    51  alized and registered pursuant to section 265.07 of this article.
    52    Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the first degree is a class B felony.
    53    §  8.  Subdivisions  1,  2, 3, and 12-a of section 400.00 of the penal
    54  law, subdivision 1 and paragraph (a) of  subdivision  3  as  amended  by
    55  chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 as amended
    56  by  chapter  60 of the laws of 2018, subdivision 2 as amended by chapter

        A. 9903--A                          4

     1  189 of the laws of 2000, paragraph (b) of  subdivision  3  as  added  by
     2  chapter  778 of the laws of 1985, and subdivision 12-a as added by chap-
     3  ter 1042 of the laws of 1974, are amended to read as follows:
     4    1. Eligibility. No license shall be issued or renewed pursuant to this
     5  section  except  by  the licensing officer, and then only after investi-
     6  gation and finding that all statements in a  proper  application  for  a
     7  license  are  true.  No license shall be issued or renewed except for an
     8  applicant (a) twenty-one years of age or older, provided, however,  that
     9  where  such  applicant  has  been  honorably  discharged from the United
    10  States army, navy, marine corps,  air  force  or  coast  guard,  or  the
    11  national  guard  of the state of New York, no such age restriction shall
    12  apply; (b) of good moral character;  (c)  who  has  not  been  convicted
    13  anywhere  of  a felony or a serious offense or who is not the subject of
    14  an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a
    15  felony or serious offense; (d) who is not a fugitive from  justice;  (e)
    16  who  is  not an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance
    17  as defined in section 21 U.S.C. 802; (f) who being an alien (i)  is  not
    18  illegally or unlawfully in the United States or (ii) has not been admit-
    19  ted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa subject to the excep-
    20  tion  in  18  U.S.C. 922(y)(2); (g) who has not been discharged from the
    21  Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; (h) who, having been a citi-
    22  zen of the United States, has not renounced his or her citizenship;  (i)
    23  who  has  stated whether he or she has ever suffered any mental illness;
    24  (j) who has not been involuntarily committed to  a  facility  under  the
    25  jurisdiction  of  an office of the department of mental hygiene pursuant
    26  to article nine or fifteen of the  mental  hygiene  law,  article  seven
    27  hundred  thirty or section 330.20 of the criminal procedure law, section
    28  four hundred two or five hundred eight of the  correction  law,  section
    29  322.2 or 353.4 of the family court act, or has not been civilly confined
    30  in  a  secure  treatment  facility pursuant to article ten of the mental
    31  hygiene law; (k) who has not had a license revoked or who is not under a
    32  suspension or ineligibility order issued pursuant to the  provisions  of
    33  section  530.14  of  the criminal procedure law or section eight hundred
    34  forty-two-a of the family court act; (l) in the county  of  Westchester,
    35  who  has  successfully  completed  a  firearms safety course and test as
    36  evidenced by a certificate of completion issued in his or her  name  and
    37  endorsed  and  affirmed under the penalties of perjury by a duly author-
    38  ized instructor, except that: (i) persons who are  honorably  discharged
    39  from  the  United  States army, navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of
    40  the national guard of the state of New York,  and  produce  evidence  of
    41  official  qualification  in  firearms during the term of service are not
    42  required to have completed those  hours  of  a  firearms  safety  course
    43  pertaining  to the safe use, carrying, possession, maintenance and stor-
    44  age of a firearm; and (ii) persons who were licensed to possess a pistol
    45  or revolver prior to the  effective  date  of  this  paragraph  are  not
    46  required  to  have  completed a firearms safety course and test; (m) who
    47  has not had a  guardian  appointed  for  him  or  her  pursuant  to  any
    48  provision  of  state  law,  based on a determination that as a result of
    49  marked subnormal intelligence, mental illness, incapacity, condition  or
    50  disease,  he  or she lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his
    51  or her own affairs; and (n) concerning whom no good cause exists for the
    52  denial of the license.  No  person  shall  engage  in  the  business  of
    53  gunsmith  or  dealer  in firearms, nor assemble, manufacture, fabricate,
    54  build, or fit together the component parts of a firearm, rifle, or shot-
    55  gun, other than for the purposes of performing routine cleaning or main-
    56  tenance on a lawfully possessed firearm, rifle, or shotgun for  non-com-

        A. 9903--A                          5

     1  mercial purposes, unless licensed pursuant to this section. An applicant
     2  to engage in such business shall also be a citizen of the United States,
     3  more  than  twenty-one  years of age and maintain a place of business in
     4  the  city  or  county where the license is issued. For such business, if
     5  the applicant is a firm or partnership, each member thereof shall comply
     6  with all of the requirements set forth in this subdivision  and  if  the
     7  applicant is a corporation, each officer thereof shall so comply.
     8    2. Types of licenses. A license for gunsmith shall be issued to engage
     9  in  such  business or to assemble, manufacture, fabricate, build, or fit
    10  together the component parts of a firearm, rifle or shotgun for non-com-
    11  mercial purposes, and a license for dealer in firearms shall  be  issued
    12  to  engage  in  such business. A license for a pistol or revolver, other
    13  than an assault weapon or a disguised gun, shall be issued to  (a)  have
    14  and  possess  in  his dwelling by a householder; (b) have and possess in
    15  his place of business by a merchant or storekeeper; (c) have  and  carry
    16  concealed  while so employed by a messenger employed by a banking insti-
    17  tution or express company; (d) have and carry concealed by a justice  of
    18  the  supreme  court in the first or second judicial departments, or by a
    19  judge of the New York city civil court or the  New  York  city  criminal
    20  court;  (e)  have  and  carry  concealed  while so employed by a regular
    21  employee of an institution of the state, or of any county, city, town or
    22  village, under control of a commissioner of correction of  the  city  or
    23  any  warden, superintendent or head keeper of any state prison, peniten-
    24  tiary, workhouse, county jail or other institution for the detention  of
    25  persons  convicted  or accused of crime or held as witnesses in criminal
    26  cases, provided that application is made therefor by such  commissioner,
    27  warden,  superintendent  or  head  keeper; (f) have and carry concealed,
    28  without regard to employment or place of possession, by any person  when
    29  proper  cause  exists  for  the issuance thereof; and (g) have, possess,
    30  collect and carry antique pistols which are defined as follows: (i)  any
    31  single  shot, muzzle loading pistol with a matchlock, flintlock, percus-
    32  sion cap, or similar type of ignition system manufactured in  or  before
    33  l898, which is not designed for using rimfire or conventional centerfire
    34  fixed ammunition; and (ii) any replica of any pistol described in clause
    35  (i) hereof if such replica--
    36    (1)  is  not  designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional
    37  centerfire fixed ammunition, or
    38    (2) uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which  is
    39  no  longer  manufactured  in  the United States and which is not readily
    40  available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.
    41    3. Applications.  (a) Applications shall be made and renewed,  in  the
    42  case  of  a  license  to  carry  or possess a pistol or revolver, to the
    43  licensing officer in the city or county, as the case may be,  where  the
    44  applicant  resides,  is principally employed or has his or her principal
    45  place of business as merchant or storekeeper; and,  in  the  case  of  a
    46  license  as  gunsmith  or  dealer  in firearms, to the licensing officer
    47  where such place of business is located, or for a person applying for  a
    48  license as gunsmith in order to assemble, manufacture, fabricate, build,
    49  or  fit together the component parts of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun for
    50  non-commercial purposes, to the licensing officer in the city or county,
    51  as the case may be, where the premises upon which the applicant  intends
    52  to  engage  in  such  activities  is  located. Blank applications shall,
    53  except in the city of New York, be approved as to  form  by  the  super-
    54  intendent  of  state  police.  An application shall state the full name,
    55  date of birth, residence, present occupation of each person or  individ-
    56  ual  signing  the  same,  whether  or  not he or she is a citizen of the

        A. 9903--A                          6

     1  United States, whether or not he or she complies with  each  requirement
     2  for  eligibility  specified  in subdivision one of this section and such
     3  other facts as may be required to show the  good  character,  competency
     4  and  integrity  of each person or individual signing the application. An
     5  application shall be signed and verified by the applicant. Each individ-
     6  ual signing an application shall submit one  photograph  of  himself  or
     7  herself  and a duplicate for each required copy of the application. Such
     8  photographs shall have been taken within thirty days prior to filing the
     9  application. In case of a license as gunsmith or dealer in firearms, the
    10  photographs submitted shall be two inches square,  and  the  application
    11  shall  also state the previous occupation of each individual signing the
    12  same and the location of the place of such business, if  applicable,  or
    13  of  the bureau, agency, subagency, office or branch office for which the
    14  license is sought, specifying the name of the  city,  town  or  village,
    15  indicating   the  street  and  number  and  otherwise  giving  such  apt
    16  description as to point out reasonably the  location  thereof.  In  such
    17  case,  if the applicant is a firm, partnership or corporation, its name,
    18  date and place of formation, and principal place of  business  shall  be
    19  stated.  For  such  firm or partnership, the application shall be signed
    20  and verified by each individual composing or intending  to  compose  the
    21  same, and for such corporation, by each officer thereof.  In the case of
    22  a  person applying for a license as gunsmith in order to assemble, manu-
    23  facture, fabricate, build, or fit together  the  component  parts  of  a
    24  firearm,  rifle,  or  shotgun for non-commercial purposes, the applicant
    25  shall state the location of the place of the premises where  the  appli-
    26  cant  intends  to  engage in such activities, specifying the name of the
    27  city, town or village, indicating the street and  number  and  otherwise
    28  giving apt description as to point out reasonably the location thereof.
    29    (b)  Application  for an exemption under paragraph seven-b of subdivi-
    30  sion a of section 265.20 of this chapter.  Each  applicant  desiring  to
    31  obtain  the exemption set forth in paragraph seven-b of subdivision a of
    32  section 265.20 of this chapter shall make such request in writing of the
    33  licensing officer with whom his application for a license is  filed,  at
    34  the time of filing such application. Such request shall include a signed
    35  and  verified  statement by the person authorized to instruct and super-
    36  vise the applicant, that has met with the  applicant  and  that  he  has
    37  determined  that,  in his judgment, said applicant does not appear to be
    38  or poses a threat to be, a danger to himself  or  to  others.  He  shall
    39  include  a copy of his certificate as an instructor in small arms, if he
    40  is required to be certified, and state his address and telephone number.
    41  He shall specify the exact  location  by  name,  address  and  telephone
    42  number  where  such  instruction will take place. Such licensing officer
    43  shall, no later than ten business days after such  filing,  request  the
    44  duly  constituted police authorities of the locality where such applica-
    45  tion is made to investigate and ascertain any previous  criminal  record
    46  of  the  applicant  pursuant  to subdivision four of this section.  Upon
    47  completion of this investigation, the police authority shall report  the
    48  results  to the licensing officer without unnecessary delay. The licens-
    49  ing officer shall no later than ten business days after the  receipt  of
    50  such  investigation,  determine  if  the  applicant  has been previously
    51  denied a license, been convicted of a felony, or  been  convicted  of  a
    52  serious  offense,  and  either  approve  or disapprove the applicant for
    53  exemption purposes based upon such determinations. If the  applicant  is
    54  approved  for  the  exemption,  the  licensing  officer shall notify the
    55  appropriate duly constituted police authorities and the applicant.  Such
    56  exemption  shall terminate if the application for the license is denied,

        A. 9903--A                          7

     1  or at any earlier time  based  upon  any  information  obtained  by  the
     2  licensing  officer  or  the  appropriate  police authorities which would
     3  cause the license to be denied. The  applicant  and  appropriate  police
     4  authorities shall be notified of any such terminations.
     5    12-a.  State  police  regulations  applicable  to  licensed  gunsmiths
     6  engaged in the business of assembling  or  manufacturing  firearms.  The
     7  superintendent  of state police is hereby authorized to issue such rules
     8  and regulations as he deems reasonably necessary to  prevent  the  manu-
     9  facture  and  assembly  of  unsafe firearms in the state. Such rules and
    10  regulations shall establish safety standards  in  regard  to  the  manu-
    11  facture  and assembly of firearms in the state, including specifications
    12  as to materials and parts used,  the  proper  storage  and  shipment  of
    13  firearms,  and  minimum standards of quality control. Regulations issued
    14  by the state police pursuant to this  subdivision  shall  apply  to  any
    15  person  licensed  as a gunsmith under this section [engaged in the busi-
    16  ness of manufacturing or assembling firearms,] and any violation thereof
    17  shall subject the licensee to revocation of license pursuant to subdivi-
    18  sion eleven of this section.
    19    § 9. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    20  it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
    21  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    22  tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
    23  completed on or before such effective date.