New York Assembly Bill A00332

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires the surrender of antique firearms, black powder rifles, black powder shotguns, or muzzle-loading firearms following a conviction for a felony or serious offense or following a report pursuant to section 9.46 of the mental hygiene law.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s Penal Law to make clear that when a person’s firearms license is suspended or revoked after certain convictions or other disqualifying events, the surrender requirement applies not only to conventional firearms, rifles, and shotguns, but also to antique firearms, black powder rifles, black powder shotguns, and muzzle-loading firearms. If the person does not surrender those items, law enforcement is authorized to remove them and they may be declared a nuisance under existing law. The measure applies to suspensions or revocations occurring on or after its effective date, which is immediate. In practical terms, it expands the categories of weapons that must be turned over to law enforcement when a person loses eligibility to possess firearms under the licensing provisions of section 400.00 of the Penal Law.

Impact

The bill broadens the scope of New York’s firearm surrender rules by expressly including antique firearms and certain black powder or muzzle-loading weapons in the list of items that must be surrendered after a license suspension or revocation. It affects licensed gun owners who are subject to disqualification because of a felony or serious offense conviction, or other triggering events referenced in the underlying licensing and mental hygiene laws. It also gives police and peace officers clear authority to remove these additional weapons if they are not voluntarily surrendered.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or recorded support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and enforcement clarification rather than a major policy shift, with the likely general sentiment being administrative support for closing a potential loophole in surrender requirements. The absence of recorded votes or discussion means any broader political reaction cannot be determined from the available record.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the expansion of surrender obligations to antique firearms and black powder or muzzle-loading weapons, which some gun owners may view as overinclusive because these items are often treated differently from modern firearms. Another possible issue is enforcement: the bill authorizes law enforcement to remove these weapons and treat them as a nuisance if not surrendered, which could raise concerns about property rights, scope of seizure, and how broadly the surrender mandate should be applied. However, no specific objections or supporters are documented in the provided materials.