United States Supreme Court Building
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday rejected a gun shop-owning couple seeking to block New York’s background check law for ammunition purchases one day before it goes into effect.
In a paperless order, Sotomayor rejected an application for a stay of several measures under the state’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act, which was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul last July in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that struck down the state’s law that placed strict restrictions on firearms outside the home.
The requirement for ammunition sales goes into effect today and requires purchasers to pay background check fees which helps fund the new program overseen by New York State Police.
Some measures of the law began as recently as September 1, including a requirement for dealers to maintain a physical or electronic record of gun purchases and sales documents. Some of the rules predate the 2022 high court ruling.
The loss marks the second time the Gazzola family has been rejected by the high court, following a denial for injunctive relief on January 18. A federal trial judge and a federal appeals court refused to block the provisions before the plaintiffs sought Supreme Court relief, and Sotomayor handles applications stemming from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.
Governor Hochul issued a statement saying, “This new order from Justice Sotomayor will ensure that the legislation’s provisions related to stronger background checks for guns and ammunition, set to take effect on September 13, will continue to move full speed ahead, and the law requiring periodic onsite inspections of firearms dealers remains intact.”
Leave a Reply