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Task Force on Mass Shootings and Assault Weapons

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Task Force on Mass Shootings and Assault Weapons Report of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Mass Shootings and Assault Weapons November 2020 The views expressed in this report are solely those of the Task Force and do not represent those of the New York State Bar Association until adopted by the House of Delegates. New York State Bar Association Task Force on Mass Shootings and Assault Weapons Reducing the Epidemic of Mass Shootings in the United States – If Not Now, When? Final Report November 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION TASK FORCE ON MASS SHOOTINGS AND ASSAULT WEAPONS ............................................................. 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 9 New York State Bar Association’s Role ..................................................................... 9 Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 9 Mass Shootings ........................................................................................................... 10 Assault Weapons ......................................................................................................... 11 Resent Developments in the Law ................................................................................ 12 Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings ..................................................................... 12 Mental Health and Mass Shootings ............................................................................. 13 The Sale and Transfer of Guns Accessories and Ammunition ................................... 13 REPORT SECTION ONE: Update on District Of Columbia v. Heller and The Current State of The Law ..................................................................................................................... 15 I. Overview ...................................................................................................... 15 II. Types of Gun Safety Laws ........................................................................... 16 A. Guns in Public or Public Carry Laws ........................................... 16 B. Possession of Firearms by Criminals or Other Dangerous People ............................................................................................ 17 C. Unusually Dangerous Weapons and Ammunition ........................ 17 D. Commercial Sale of Firearms ....................................................... 17 E. Firearms in Sensitive Places ......................................................... 18 F. Other – Including Registration, Transfer, and Safety of Firearms ........................................................................................ 18 III. Second Amendment Challenges ................................................................... 18 A. The Courts’ Reasoning in Second Amendment Cases ................. 18 B. The Supreme Court Has Repeatedly Denied Certiorari in Second Amendment Cases, But Granted Certiorari in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n Inc ................................................................ 24 IV. Recent Lower Court Cases ........................................................................... 26 A. Firearm Cases...................................................................................... 26 B. Bump Stocks, etc ................................................................................ 46 REPORT SECTION TWO: Mass Shootings and Domestic Violence ................................... 48 I. The Nexus Between Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings .................... 48 II. Federal and State Laws Addressing the Connection between Domestic Violence and Mass Shootings ...................................................................... 51 III. Orders of Protection and Gun Restrictions Under New York State Law .... 52 Page 2 of 135 A. Obtaining an Order of Protection in New York ..................................... 52 B. Resulting Restrictions on Access to and Possession of Firearms .......... 54 C. Computerized Registry for Orders of Protection ................................... 56 D. Retrieval of Firearms and Restoration of Gun Permits .......................... 58 IV. Specific Recommendations .......................................................................... 58 REPORT SECTION THREE: Mass Shootings and Mental Health Issues ............................ 60 I. Extreme Risk Protective Order Laws Should be Implemented in all Jurisdictions .................................................................................................. 62 A. Rationale Behind Extreme Risk Protective Orders ............................. 62 B. Specific Examples of Mass Shootings Where Signals Were Given ... 63 C. New York State’s Red Flag Law ........................................................ 66 D. Other State ERPO Laws...................................................................... 70 E. Proposed Federal Legislation .............................................................. 71 F. Due Process Considerations with ERPO Laws ................................... 72 G. Recommendation of the Task Force ................................................... 73 II. Expand the Categories of Individuals Prohibited from Purchasing or Possessing Firearms ...................................................................................... 73 A. Federal Law ........................................................................................ 74 B. Involuntary Outpatient Commitment .................................................. 75 C. Voluntary Admission to a Mental Institution ..................................... 76 III. All Disqualifying Events Prohibiting Gun Ownership Should be Reported to NICS ......................................................................................................... 76 A. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) ............................................................................................. 76 B. Performing a Background Check ........................................................ 78 C. State Submissions of Mental Health Records to NICS and The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 ............................................. 80 D. New York State Law ........................................................................... 82 E. The Fix NICS Act of 2017 .................................................................. 84 F. Privacy Considerations ....................................................................... 85 G. State Procedures for Restoration of Firearm Possession Rights ......... 86 H. Conclusion .......................................................................................... 87 REPORT SECTION FOUR: Mass Shootings and the Sale and Transfer of Guns, Accessories and Ammunition ...................................................................................................................... 88 I. Hardware Issues ........................................................................................ 88 A. Assault-Style Weapons ....................................................................... 88 B. Large Capacity Magazines .................................................................. 91 C. Bump Stocks and Other Devices That Effectively Permit Semi-Automatic Firearms to Be Fired in Fully-Automatic Mode ...... 92 D. Firearms Manufactured Without a Serial Number (Ghost Guns) and Not Made By a Licensed Manufacturer .............................................. 92 II. Acquisition Issues ..................................................................................... 97 A. Universal Background Checks ............................................................ 97 Page 3 of 135 B. Extending the Time in which Background Checks May Be Completed ........................................................................................... 98 C. Expand the Categories of People Who Are Precluded from Purchasing a Firearm ............................................................................................. 99 D. Ensure All Disqualifying Information Is Reported to NICS .............. 100 E. Require Gun Owners to Have a License to Purchase and Possess All Types of Firearms ............................................................................... 102 F. Penalties for Failure to Notify the Authorities of Stolen or Lost Guns .................................................................................................... 104 G. Penalties for Unlocked and Unsecured Guns...................................... 104 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................ 106 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 129 APPENDIX A: Selected Bibliography ................................................................................... 130 APPENDIX B: New York’s SAFE ACT – Update ................................................................ 131 APPENDIX C: Letter from N.Y. Bar Ass’n Comm. On Mandated Representation, to
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