New York bill would require gun license applicants to turn over social media history

A proposed New York bill would require any citizen who applies for a gun license to provide their social media records for verification of their “character and conduct.” The bill is scheduled to be debated on Friday.

The proposed law mandates that those who apply for a gun licence to be of “good moral character” by displaying “the essential character, temperament, and judgment necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself and others.”

To do that, applicants are now required to provide their social media accounts over the time span of 3 years. Hochul spoke out in favour of the law by saying “Sometimes, [gun owners are] telegraphing their intent to cause harm to others.”

The Supreme Court in New York recently struck down a law that required New Yorkers to provide “proper cause” to own a gun.  It was deemed to be unconstitutional.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) expressed her disappointment at the Supreme Court’s decision but stressed that she was not ready to give up at this stage.

“The Supreme Court’s decisions were certainly setbacks. But we view them as only temporary setbacks because I refuse, as I’ve said from day one, I refuse to surrender my right as Governor to protect New Yorkers from gun violence or any other form of harm,” said Hochul at a news conference in Albany. “They may think they can change our lives with the stroke of a pen, but we have pens too.”

According to Reuters, gun owners will be barred from carrying their weapons in “sensitive places,” including government buildings, public protests, medical facilities, religious buildings  and playgrounds. Guns can be banned in private businesses unless the business owner displays a sign explicitly stating that they are permitted on the premises.

Gun rights advocates did express serious concerns about the proposed bill. Senator Andrew Lanza (R-NY) said, “Now we’re going to let the pizzeria owner decide whether or not I can express my constitutional right. This is a disgrace. See you in the courts.”

The National Rifle Association (NRA) also spoke out against the law. They referred to it as a “flagrant violation” of the court’s decision, adding, “Gov. Hochul and her anti-Second Amendment allies in Albany have defied the United States Supreme Court with an intentionally malicious rewriting of New York’s concealed carry law.”