Restricts the locations of gunsmiths and dealers in firearms in relation to day cares, educational facilities, and places of worship

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Rosenthal and 3 co-sponsors

A 1953 would restrict where gunsmiths and firearms dealers can operate by banning proximity to day cares, schools, and places of worship.

REFERRED TO CODES

Overview

Bill Number: A 1953

Title: Restricts the locations of gunsmiths and dealers in firearms in relation to day cares, educational facilities, and places of worship

Status: Referred to Codes (as of 2025-01-14)

Introduced: January 14, 2025

Classification: Bill

Sponsors:

Primary: Linda Rosenthal
Cosponsors: Jo Anne Simon, Rebecca Seawright, Manny De Los Santos

Related Bills (prior-session): A 6828, A 638, A 1267, A 766

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to regulate where gunsmiths and firearms dealers may operate by establishing proximity rules relative to specific sensitive locations: day cares, educational facilities, and places of worship. The underlying intent is to reduce potential exposure of vulnerable populations (children, students, congregants) to firearm-related businesses.

Key provisions (as indicated by the bill’s title and summary information)

The bill would impose location restrictions on gunsmiths and firearms dealers.

Specific proximity requirements (e.g., distance measurements, permitting exceptions, grandfathering for existing businesses) are not detailed in the provided materials.

Enforcement mechanisms, penalties for noncompliance, and implementation timelines would be defined in the full text of the bill and related regulatory provisions.

Note: The provided information does not include the bill’s exact statutory language or numerical thresholds. The summary below reflects the bill’s stated purpose and likely areas of impact based on the title.

Who would be affected

Gunsmiths and firearms dealers operating in New York (and any affiliated businesses and employees).

Day cares, educational facilities, and places of worship could be impacted insofar as they influence where firearms-related businesses can locate.

Local governments may be involved in enforcing any zoning or licensing changes introduced by the bill.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Current status: Referred to Codes committee, with no further actions listed in the provided record.

Next steps in the legislative process: Committee hearings, amendments, and potential floor consideration if the bill advances. If enacted, implementation would require rulemaking or regulatory guidance to implement the location restrictions.

Context and related activity

The bill has several related bills from prior sessions (A 6828, A 638, A 1267, A 766), suggesting ongoing legislative interest in regulating proximity of firearms-related businesses to sensitive sites.

As introduced, additional details (specific distance requirements, exemptions, grandfathering provisions, and enforcement penalties) would be found in the full text and any accompanying fiscal notes or committee memos.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to highlight potential policy implications for specific stakeholders (business owners, educators, child-care providers, faith communities) or compare with the related prior-session bills.

Bill