By Hank Russell
A Manhattan federal appeals court ruled that certain parts of the state’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) can be upheld regarding licensing and training requirements, while other parts, such as where guns can and cannot be brought, were thrown out. The Act was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022.
The CCIA requires those who wish to apply for a “concealed carry” license to prove “just cause,” other than personal protection. The law went into effect one week after the U.S. Supreme Court decided, 6-3, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen that the law was unconstitutional and referred the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit again. On October 24, the Second Appeals Court made its ruling.
“Gun safety laws save lives and keep our streets safer,” Hochul said in a statement. “Today’s ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upholds the core tenets of the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, the commonsense measure I signed into law two years ago that is saving lives across New York. That’s one reason why New York continues to have one of the lowest firearm mortality rates of any state in the nation. Public safety is my top priority, and I’ll continue to fight gun violence and protect all New Yorkers.”
The Second Appellate Court’s decision also allows all private property owners, including owners of places of worship, to prohibit firearms from coming onto their property. The requirements for applicants to take part in an in-person interview, submit character references, and take 16 hours of training classes on federal and state gun laws, gun storage safety and being aware of your surroundings are also still in effect.
In addition, the decision upholds the ban on concealed carry in all sensitive places with the exception of places of worship. However, the court rejected a ban on bringing guns on private property open to the general public; that includes gas stations and supermarkets.
Attorney General Letitia James said the ruling strengthens requirements for concealed carry permits to keep New Yorkers safe.
“This decision is another victory in our effort to protect all New Yorkers from the scourge of gun violence,” James said in a statement. “After repeated attempts to weaken our gun safety regulations, once again we have prevailed. Commonsense gun safety legislation helps protect New Yorkers, and my office will always stand up to defend these laws. As Attorney General, I will use all the tools at my disposal to help remove dangerous weapons from New York communities and to keep our state’s residents safe.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association for comment, but did not hear back as of press time.