STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2892

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 26, 2021
                                       ___________

        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 32 to read as follows:
    12    32. "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.
                                                                   LBD06356-01-1

        S. 2892                             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  nineteen
     7  of  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 nineteen 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 19 and 20 to read as follows:
    26    19.  Registration  of  50  caliber weapons.   (a) An owner of a weapon
    27  defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision thirty-two 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-two 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-two 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.

        S. 2892                             3

     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-two 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    20.  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 189 of the laws of 2000, 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. 2892                             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. For the purpose of this subdivision
     4  the  length  of  the barrel on a shotgun or rifle shall be determined by
     5  measuring the distance between the muzzle and  the  face  of  the  bolt,
     6  breech,  or  breechlock  when  closed  and  when the shotgun or rifle is
     7  cocked; the overall length of a weapon made from a shotgun or  rifle  is
     8  the  distance  between  the  extreme ends of the weapon measured along a
     9  line parallel to the center line of the bore. Firearm does  not  include
    10  an antique firearm.
    11    §  7.  Subdivisions  1, 2, 3 and 6 of section 265.10 of the penal law,
    12  subdivisions 1 and 2 as separately amended by chapters 34, 130  and  146
    13  of the laws of 2019, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 130 of the laws
    14  of  2019,  and  subdivision  6  as amended by chapter 189 of the laws of
    15  2000, are amended to read as follows:
    16    1. Any person who  manufactures  or  causes  to  be  manufactured  any
    17  machine-gun,  assault  weapon, 50 caliber weapon, large capacity ammuni-
    18  tion feeding device or disguised gun is guilty of a class D felony.  Any
    19  person  who  manufactures  or  causes  to be manufactured any rapid-fire
    20  modification device is guilty of a class E felony. Any person who  manu-
    21  factures  or  causes  to  be  manufactured  any switchblade knife, pilum
    22  ballistic  knife,  metal  knuckle  knife,  undetectable  knife,   billy,
    23  blackjack,  bludgeon,  plastic  knuckles,  metal knuckles, Kung Fu star,
    24  chuka stick, sandbag, sandclub or slungshot  is  guilty  of  a  class  A
    25  misdemeanor.
    26    2. Any person who transports or ships any machine-gun, firearm silenc-
    27  er, assault weapon, 50 caliber weapon or large capacity ammunition feed-
    28  ing  device  or disguised gun, or who transports or ships as merchandise
    29  five or more firearms, is guilty of a class D  felony.  Any  person  who
    30  transports  or  ships  any rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a
    31  class E felony.  Any person who transports or ships as  merchandise  any
    32  firearm,  other than an assault weapon or 50 caliber weapon, switchblade
    33  knife, pilum ballistic  knife,  undetectable  knife,  billy,  blackjack,
    34  bludgeon,  plastic  knuckles, metal knuckles, Kung Fu star, chuka stick,
    35  sandbag or slungshot is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
    36    3. Any person who disposes of  any  machine-gun,  assault  weapon,  50
    37  caliber  weapon,  large  capacity  ammunition  feeding device or firearm
    38  silencer is guilty of a class D felony. Any person who disposes  of  any
    39  rapid-fire modification device is guilty of a class E felony. Any person
    40  who knowingly buys, receives, disposes of, or conceals a machine-gun, 50
    41  caliber weapon, firearm, large capacity ammunition feeding device, rifle
    42  or  shotgun  which  has  been  defaced for the purpose of concealment or
    43  prevention of the detection of a crime or misrepresenting  the  identity
    44  of  such machine-gun, 50 caliber weapon, firearm, large capacity ammuni-
    45  tion feeding device, rifle or shotgun is guilty of a class D felony.
    46    6. Any person who wilfully defaces any machine-gun, 50 caliber weapon,
    47  large capacity ammunition feeding device or firearm is guilty of a class
    48  D felony.
    49    § 8. Paragraph 8 of subdivision a of section 265.20 of the penal  law,
    50  as  amended  by  chapter  130 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
    51  follows:
    52    8. The manufacturer of machine-guns, firearm silencers, assault  weap-
    53  ons,  large  capacity  ammunition  feeding  devices, 50 caliber weapons,
    54  rapid-fire modification devices, disguised guns, pilum ballistic knives,
    55  switchblade or gravity knives, billies or blackjacks as merchandise,  or
    56  as a transferee recipient of the same for repair, lawful distribution or

        S. 2892                             5

     1  research  and  development, and the disposal and shipment thereof direct
     2  to a regularly  constituted  or  appointed  state  or  municipal  police
     3  department,  sheriff,  police  officer  or  other peace officer, or to a
     4  state  prison, penitentiary, workhouse, county jail or other institution
     5  for the detention of persons convicted or accused of crime  or  held  as
     6  witnesses in criminal cases, or to the military service of this state or
     7  of  the  United  States; or for the repair and return of the same to the
     8  lawful possessor or for research and development.
     9    § 9. Section 265.20 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdi-
    10  vision f to read as follows:
    11    f. The terms "pistol," "revolver," "rifle," and "shotgun" as  used  in
    12  paragraphs  three  through five, seven through seven-b, twelve, thirteen
    13  and thirteen-a of subdivision a of this section shall not include  a  50
    14  caliber weapon as defined in subdivision thirty-two of section 265.00 of
    15  this article.
    16    § 10. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 235 to read
    17  as follows:
    18    §  235.  Compliance  with the ban on the sale, possession or use of 50
    19  caliber weapons.   1. From within  amounts  appropriated  therefor,  the
    20  division  of  state  police  shall  take  such action as is necessary to
    21  implement a program whereby persons, including dealers of  firearms,  in
    22  lawful  possession  of  50  caliber  weapons  may  bring themselves into
    23  compliance with the provisions of the penal law  which  bans  the  sale,
    24  possession or use of such weapons.
    25    2.  Within  thirty  days  of  the  effective date of this section, any
    26  licensed firearm dealer who has in his or her possession a new 50  cali-
    27  ber weapon shall be entitled to return such weapon to the distributor or
    28  manufacturer,  and  shall be entitled to a full refund, or credit, in an
    29  amount equal to the purchase price of such weapon. In any case  where  a
    30  distributor or manufacturer fails or refuses to so refund or credit such
    31  dealer,  the  dealer  shall  notify the division of state police, and it
    32  shall immediately notify the attorney general so  that  he  or  she  may
    33  intercede  and  take such actions on behalf of the dealer to secure such
    34  refund or credit.
    35    3. Within thirty days of the  effective  date  of  this  section,  any
    36  person, including a licensed firearm dealer, who has in his or her legal
    37  possession a used 50 caliber weapon shall personally deliver such weapon
    38  to  the  division  of  state police, and upon transferring ownership and
    39  possession to a duly designated officer thereof, shall  be  entitled  to
    40  receive  payment  in  an  amount  equal to the fair market value of such
    41  weapon, but not to exceed eight thousand five hundred dollars.
    42    4. The division of state police shall take such  action,  including  a
    43  public  campaign using the print media, television, radio or other means
    44  to notify persons of the existence of the program  established  in  this
    45  section.
    46    §  11. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
    47  sections one through nine of this act shall take effect on the thirtieth
    48  day after this act shall have become a law.