A federal appeals court ruled Friday that a majority of the provisions of New York State’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) are allowed to remain in effect pending the conclusion of lower court proceedings. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul both applauded the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The CCIA took effect in September 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court declared the state’s previous concealed carry law unconstitutional. The requirements upheld in the decision include:
- the requirement to demonstrate good moral character and to disclose household and family members on a permit application
- a ban on concealed carry in all sensitive places with the exception of places of worship
- allowing all private property owners, including owners of places of worship, to prohibit firearms on their property, including through the postage of signs.
- requirements for an in-person interview, character references, and 16 hours of training
“Today’s decision to permit the state to enforce critical provisions of the Concealed Carry Improvement Act as the court process moves forward will help keep New Yorkers safe,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “This commonsense law was enacted to keep guns out of dangerous hands and away from schools, hospitals, parks, public transportation, and other sensitive locations. My office will continue to defend New York’s gun laws and use every tool to protect New Yorkers from senseless gun violence.”
Governor Kathy Hochul released the following statement:
“In the wake of a reckless Supreme Court decision that stripped away a key tool I had as Governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence, I worked with the Legislature to craft nation-leading concealed carry laws to protect public safety. These laws instituted common-sense protections to strengthen background checks, protect sensitive locations, and ensure permits are issued responsibly. Now, even after a year of legal assault from right-wing extremists, core tenets of our laws remain in effect following today’s ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Public safety is my top priority, and I’ll continue my efforts to keep New Yorkers safe.”
