A Letter to my Senator


Sights on Target

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I decided to write a letter to Senator Bonacic today regarding New York's prohibition on live fire training before obtaining a pistol permit. New York only allows for a minor aged 14-21 to shoot a handgun without having a permit. I would like to see this extended to all individuals under the supervision of a NRA Instructor. While I would really like to see the entire pistol permit process in New York fixed, I feel that is a separate issue than training. Here is a copy of the letter I wrote today, and I encourage everybody to write a letter to their Senator and/or Assemblyman regarding this. Here is a copy of the letter I wrote.


Sights on Target
PO Box 4402
Kingston, NY 12402

Senator John J. Bonacic
Room 508 Legislative Office Building
Albany, New York 12247

Dear Senator Bonacic,

I am writing you to inform you of a situation that is occurring in New York regarding pistol shooting and pistol permits. I am a NRA Certified Instructor, and I teach the NRA Basic Pistol Class that many counties have adopted as a requirement for obtaining a pistol permit. The NRA Basic Pistol Course consists of an eight-hour lecture on safety and shooting, and a mandatory “live fire” session in order to successfully complete the class. New York State Law prohibits a person from essentially touching a pistol if that individual does not have a permit, and if the firearm is not specifically listed on their permit. This law makes teaching a full class technically illegal, although many counties require it. No other state that I am aware of handles pistol shooting in this way. Section 1, Paragraph 7-e of subdivision of section 265.20 of the penal law does make an exception to this law. It allows minors between the age of fourteen to twenty-one to handle and shoot a pistol in the presence of a NRA Certified Instructor or a Parent. This bill was S-2742A, and Governor Pataki signed it into law in 2006. In order to facilitate a more effective training session as required by numerous counties in New York, I would like to see this exception extended to cover any individual who is qualified to handle and shoot a pistol in the presence of a NRA Certified Instructor. This would by no means interfere with the current pistol permit issuing criteria, but allow an applicant to have actual live fire training before taking possession of a pistol under their New York State Pistol Permit if and when granted. I would like to see a bill sponsored that would allow for complete and adequate handgun training in the great State of New York. I thank you for you time and consideration in this matter.




Respectfully yours,
 

I am a member of SCOPE(Shooters Committee on Political Education) and for the last two years have been working with New York State Senator Bill Stachowski and his office. After explaining the issue to him that a person 14-21 could handle a pistol and that anyone old enough to get a permit could not handle one. to the Senator agreed that this made no sense. He sponsored a bill last year and also agreed to introduce it again this year. Since he votes in the favor of gun rights almost all the time and essentially kills many of the terrible bills each year, he may not get cooperation from his fellow democrats. Let's all keep up the pressure. Unfortunately the majority of legislators are from NYC. This means that since NYC has its own separate gun laws any law they pass usually excludes NYC. In effect they vote on bills that effect the rest of us but not their own constituents. They can vote any way that want and it does not tick off their own people that they represent because of this unique situation.
 
I am a member of SCOPE(Shooters Committee on Political Education) and for the last two years have been working with New York State Senator Bill Stachowski and his office. After explaining the issue to him that a person 14-21 could handle a pistol and that anyone old enough to get a permit could not handle one. to the Senator agreed that this made no sense. He sponsored a bill last year and also agreed to introduce it again this year. Since he votes in the favor of gun rights almost all the time and essentially kills many of the terrible bills each year, he may not get cooperation from his fellow democrats. Let's all keep up the pressure. Unfortunately the majority of legislators are from NYC. This means that since NYC has its own separate gun laws any law they pass usually excludes NYC. In effect they vote on bills that effect the rest of us but not their own constituents. They can vote any way that want and it does not tick off their own people that they represent because of this unique situation.

As a member of SCOPE, have you looked into the issue of Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul's Pistol Permit office taking 12 to 18 months to issue restricted hangun permits? SCOPE is praising this woman in Erie county. Have you asked about the deliberate delays from her employees? The rude and lazy staff? The future of firearms ownership in NYS depends on NEW permits being granted and increasing our political clout. The Erie County Pistol permit office, run by Kathy Hochul, has made this very difficult for our numbers to increase and have done everything possible to discourage people to even try and get a permit. It's taking longer than ever to get a permit in Erie county since she's been in charge. She's tossing you crumbs like gun show transfers and you are falling for it. There are hundreds or even thousands of people being denied or delayed permits and you still praise this woman as pro-second ammendment when she is clearly not. She's a politician who has worked for some of the most anti-gun liberals in congress like Sen Monyihan. SCOPE is looking like a joke and a tool for the Democratic party. By the way, Kathy Hochul gave the max donation to help elect Obama in '08. Source is the Federal Election Comm web site. Look it up yourself.

.
 
Good letter.

However, just a note that section 7-a does allow one permit holder to load and fire a gun of another permit holder if:

1. the other permit holder is present; and

2. either:

A. it is at a range on the premises of a duly organized conservation club; or

B. it is during an NRA sanctioned competition.
 
:eek:fftopic:

While I do acknowledge that there is a problem in Erie County regarding pistol permits, I do not believe the way to remedy it is publicly bashing officials in numerous threads online.

Now to get this thread back on topic...

Senate Bill 282 aims to allow for using a handgun during training, and it was sponsored by Senator Little. It has been referred to codes as of 1/6/10.

As of today, I have not received any response from my letters. I sent a letter to Senator Larkin, Senator Bonacic, Assemblyman Cahill, and Assemblyman Ball.
 
As long as we are writing letters to elected officalsm, what about the bill that could come before the senate at any time
"i forget the extact title, but it refers to identiying terrorist and criminals and would make you and i register every hand gun we buy with the feds. ?????????????????????????:fie::fie:
 
That would be a national bill. The only one I am familiar with is the one that thye are trying go push is that if they "think" you are a terrorist they can deny you a firearem through a failed NICS check. Like a lot of gun bills it sounds good until you dig beyond the title. If you ended up on that list you would not even know it and you would be denied your 2nd Amendment rights. If you were on that list by mistake, there is no way to get off it. You would be denied due process. The NRA is keeping an eye on it and I do not believe it would have the votes to pass in its current form with all the dems worried about elections. Our biggest concerns are with the NYS since the state Senate went to the dems.
 
The future of firearms ownership in NYS depends on NEW permits being granted and increasing our political clout.
New permits won't do that. We know you don't care for SCOPE, so get involved with another group like NYPRA
etc. These groups try and work with the politicians and get them to make intelligent decisions rather than emotional ones.

The Erie County Pistol permit office, run by Kathy Hochul, has made this very difficult for our numbers to increase and have done everything possible to discourage people to even try and get a permit.
As shown in previous posts, she has said she is going to improve the situation. Now we have to see it she is making empty promises or if she has a handle on the situation.

It's taking longer than ever to get a permit in Erie county since she's been in charge. She's tossing you crumbs like gun show transfers and you are falling for it.
The "gun show transfer" is a little more than a crumb. That is a MAJOR CHANGE!

SCOPE is looking like a joke and a tool for the Democratic party.

We all know how you feel. Your point has been made over and over. Your opinion is noted.

Again, get involved with a State Group. If not SCOPE, there are others.
 

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