Following the tragic 2012 gun attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School, when a gunman murdered six adults and 20 children, states around the country chose to enact stricter gun control legislation — and the state of New York was no exception. In fact, New York was one of the first to create new laws in response to the tragedy.
Following the Sandy Hook tragedy, New York passed the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013. Commonly referred to as the NY SAFE Act, this new piece of legislation created some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. As such, it’s vital that anyone in possession of a firearm — and anyone considering the purchase of a firearm — fully understands the legal responsibilities and limitations imposed by this act.
Firearms limitations imposed by the NY SAFE Act
Here are the most important limitations that the NY SAFE Act imposes:
A ban on high-capacity magazines: The law bans all “high-capacity magazines” and it doesn’t matter when they were manufactured or sold. A high-capacity magazine is “a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that” (1) can be readily accepted or be converted to accept over 10 rounds of ammunition, (2) contains over seven rounds of ammunition, or (3) the owner purchased it after Jan. 15, 2013, and could convert or restore it to hold over seven rounds of bullets.
A background check requirement: Ammunition dealers who sell firearms must have a background check performed on them. This check is similar to that performed on the purchasers of guns.
An assault weapons registry: The state must keep a registry of everyone who owns an assault weapon.
Stolen guns reporting: The owners of guns must report stolen weapons within 24 hours of the theft.
Were you accused of violating New York gun control laws?
Knowing gun laws in detail will help you prevent getting in trouble for violations of weapons regulations. However, it’s still possible to make mistakes or to face an inappropriate weapons charge. Regardless of the situation surrounding your gun crimes accusations, you may want to investigate your legal options and formulate a well-thought-out criminal defense.