A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked parts of a newly enacted New York concealed carry law that created sensitive locations where firearms are banned, allowing a legal challenge by a gun rights group to go forward, just months after the state's previous concealed carry law was struck down by the Supreme Court.
The gun law in New York was blocked by a federal judge.
Several provisions of the law, including a requirement for social media background checks and lists of "character references" who can attest to a licensed carrier's "good moral character", are unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Guns are not allowed in public transportation, places where alcohol is consumed and Times Square, but the prohibition may stand for public assembly and polling places.
The state can appeal the ruling if it takes effect within three days.
Four months after the Supreme Court struck down the state's concealed carry law, it took effect, banning firearms in airports, bars, courthouses, hospitals, schools, polling places, rallies, houses of worship and stadiums.
Six members of the Gun Owners of America argued that New York's law is unconstitutional and more like a response to the Supreme Court's decision to strike an earlier New York concealed carry law.
The Gun Owners of America and two other organizations were not able to file a lawsuit against the concealed carry law because it hadn't gone into effect.
The state had a concealed carry law that limited licenses to people who could demonstrate proper cause. The Supreme Court ruled in June that the law violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from owning firearms. In his majority opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the Second Amendment doesn't require people to have special needs. The governor of New York called the decision outrageous.
The Supreme Court struck down the original concealed carry law. Under the new law, firearm carriers must undergo training, provide character references and complete background checks before being eligible for a license, which are reserved for people with "good moral character." People with convictions for assault and driving under the influence were not allowed to get licenses. The law sets the age for purchasing or owning a semiautomatic firearm at 21 and the rifles that have been used in high-profile mass shootings to be a mass shooter's gun of choice. If a business chooses to allow for concealed carry, they must install signs that say so.
The updated gun legislation can take effect.
A gun rights group is asking a judge to stop the NY gun ban.
The new gun laws took effect after the Supreme Court struck down the last attempt.
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