The June 24 USSC decision overturning Roe v Wade overshadowed another important and controversial decision for New Yorkers. On June 23, the U.S.S.C. repealed New York’s Concealed Carry Law, throwing uncertainty into the future of NY State’s restrictions on residents ability to be armed in the public square.
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah said, “Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court striking down New York’s law limiting those who can carry a concealed weapon will absolutely make it harder for prosecutors in New York and around the country to keep our communities safe from gun violence. As a mom, a District Attorney, and as someone who cares about the safety of my law enforcement partners out on
the streets, the impact of the Court’s ruling cannot be overstated. In addition, this ruling opens
the door for other reasonable gun restrictions to be deemed unconstitutional.
“Keeping the people in Westchester safe from gun violence is my top priority as DA and our work aggressively prosecuting gun crimes, gun traffickers and getting illegal guns off the street will not stop. We are ready to work with the governor and the NY legislature to craft common sense legislation that will pass the new and narrow requirements the court has imposed to protect our communities. We will also continue to enforce other strong gun laws that exist in our state and work with our local leaders, law enforcement, school and community partners to educate our communities about red flag laws and safe firearm storage. This moment requires that we reinforce our collective commitment to fight gun violence,” said Rocah.
Assemblymember Amy Paulin said, “Instead of upholding New York’s laws which help combat gun violence, the U.S. Supreme Court has now overturned a 1913 New York statute which limits permits to carry firearms only to individuals who can demonstrate “proper cause” or the need to carry a firearm due to their employment. This disastrous decision will result in exponentially more New Yorkers carrying a gun in public and will put all New Yorkers in harm’s way every day. It will also imperil the safety of law enforcement, paramedics, fire personnel and all those who work in the public safety sphere. Our country experiences gun deaths on a daily basis. Most recently we had horrific mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, and even in the few weeks since then we have had several more. Given the seriousness of what we continue to face, the Court’s decision is beyond reckless – it is deadly.
“Despite the Court’s profoundly disheartening decision, I will not be deterred from fighting to keep our communities safe. I plan to continue advancing the most stringent gun legislation possible to protect New Yorkers, and along with Senator Brian Kavanagh, I have just introduced several additional bills in light of the Court’s decision. We now need to ensure that guns are prohibited from mass transit, entertainment venues, religious institutions, and bars and restaurants where alcohol is served, just to name a few. I have introduced a bill that will make it a crime to possess guns at these “sensitive places.”
“I’ve also introduced a bill requiring a license to possess shot guns and rifles. This is common sense and should already be in place – there is no more time to wait to enact this law. The third bill requires all firearm permit holders to have an evaluation from a mental health professional rather than merely stating that they are mentally fit which is what the current law requires,” said Paulin.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins appeared across the NYS Media calling the court overturning of Roe v Wade, “abhorrent.”
“Today’s abhorrent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade marks a stark new chapter in our American story. We cannot understate the life-altering effect this will have not only on millions of women today, but on the safety and freedom of those for generations to come.
“We are now living in two Americas, where states must decide if they’ll serve as bastions of freedom, or not. In anticipation of this ruling, we took action to further protect women’s rights to access reproductive healthcare and protect out of state visitors seeking abortion care.
“Abortion care is healthcare and it will remain accessible to all who need it in New York. Our safe harbor is ready to welcome those seeking refuge, with the promise that your choices will never be taken away in New York,” said Stewart-Cousins.
State Senator Shelley Mayer said, “This decision is absolutely devastating to millions of American women, and completely inconsistent with the views of the majority of women and men in this country. A constitutional right, granted expressly nearly 50 years ago, has been simply eliminated by this Trump-appointed Supreme Court majority, even though they pledged under oath to respect court precedent. A woman’s right to decide her future, to become a parent or not, and to make decisions about her body cannot be relegated to a state-by-state approach that will allow the complete ban on abortions in many states. In New York State, we will continue to do everything we can to protect the right to abortion for New Yorkers and all those from other states who seek care from medical providers here. But at the same time, this decision, and the terrible Supreme Court decision on New York’s concealed carry law issued yesterday, make it clearer than ever – elections have consequences and we must use the power of our vote to make sure our voices are heard and respected. Our hearts are heavy today, but we will not be deterred.”
