The state of New York has passed a law banning guns from many public places, including Times Square, and requiring gun-licence applicants to prove their shooting proficiency and submit their social media accounts for review.
The law, passed in an emergency legislative session on Friday, was forced by a landmark US Supreme Court ruling last week that struck down New York’s restrictive gun-licence laws.Â
The court’s conservative majority ruled for the first time that the US Constitution grants an individual the right to carry weapons in public for self-defence.
New York’s Democratic leaders have decried the ruling and the court, saying there will be more gun violence if there are more people carrying guns.
They conceded they must loosen the state’s century-old permit scheme to comply with the ruling, but sought to keep as many restrictions as they could in the name of public safety.
The law passed on Friday makes it a felony crime to carry a gun into a new list of sensitive places, including: government buildings, medical facilities, places of worship, libraries, playgrounds, parks, zoos, schools, colleges, summer camps, addiction-support centres, homeless shelters, nursing homes, public transit including the New York City subway, places where alcohol or marijuana is consumed, museums, theatres, stadiums and other venues, polling places and Times Square.
Republican lawmakers complained that the law, set to take effect on September 1, makes the right to carry weapons lesser than other constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech and of religion.
“Now, it’s going to be easier to get a concealed-carry” licence, said Mike Lawler, a Republican member of the Assembly, during the debate.
“But you’re not going to be able to carry it anywhere.”
The law also makes it a felony to carry a gun into private business premises unless the business affirmatively gives notice that concealed weapons are welcome.
By Jonathan Allen in NEW YORK
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