A 2105: Provides for the confidentiality of applications for licenses for the possession of firearms.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2105 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. DiPIETRO -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Codes AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the filing of approved applications for licenses to carry, possess, repair and dispose of firearms The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 400.00 of the penal law, as 2 amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013, subparagraph (iii) of para- 3 graph (e) as amended by chapter 244 of the laws of 2019, is amended to 4 read as follows: 5 5. Filing of approved applications. [(a)] The application for any 6 license, if granted, shall be filed by the licensing officer with the 7 clerk of the county of issuance, except that in the city of New York 8 and, in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, the licensing officer shall 9 designate the place of filing in the appropriate division, bureau or 10 unit of the police department thereof, and in the county of Suffolk the 11 county clerk is hereby authorized to transfer all records or applica- 12 tions relating to firearms to the licensing authority of that county. 13 [Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (f) of this subdivision, 14 the name and address] The application and any supporting records, 15 including any information contained therein, of any person to whom an 16 application for any license has been granted shall not be a public 17 record and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to article six of 18 the public officers law. Upon application by a licensee who has changed 19 [his] their place of residence such records or applications shall be 20 transferred to the appropriate officer at the licensee's new place of 21 residence. A duplicate copy of such application shall be filed by the 22 licensing officer in the executive department, division of state police, 23 Albany, within ten days after issuance of the license. The superinten- 24 dent of state police may designate that such application shall be trans- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05675-01-5 
 A. 2105 2 1 mitted to the division of state police electronically. In the event the 2 superintendent of the division of state police determines that it lacks 3 any of the records required to be filed with the division, it may 4 request that such records be provided to it by the appropriate clerk, 5 department or authority and such clerk, department or authority shall 6 provide the division with such records. In the event such clerk, depart- 7 ment or authority lacks such records, the division may request the 8 license holder provide information sufficient to constitute such record 9 and such license holder shall provide the division with such informa- 10 tion. Such information shall be limited to the license holder's name, 11 date of birth, gender, race, residential address, social security number 12 and firearms possessed by said license holder. Nothing in this subdivi- 13 sion shall be construed to change the expiration date or term of such 14 licenses if otherwise provided for in law. Records assembled or 15 collected for purposes of inclusion in the database established by this 16 section shall be released pursuant to a court order. Records assembled 17 or collected for purposes of inclusion in the database created pursuant 18 to section 400.02 of this [chapter] article shall not be subject to 19 disclosure pursuant to article six of the public officers law. 20 [(b) Each application for a license pursuant to paragraph (a) of this 21 subdivision shall include, on a separate written form prepared by the 22 division of state police within thirty days of the effective date of the 23 chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen, which amended this 24 section, and provided to the applicant at the same time and in the same 25 manner as the application for a license, an opportunity for the appli- 26 cant to request an exception from his or her application information 27 becoming public record pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision. 28 Such forms, which shall also be made available to individuals who had 29 applied for or been granted a license prior to the effective date of the 30 chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen which amended this section, 31 shall notify applicants that, upon discovery that an applicant knowingly 32 provided false information, such applicant may be subject to penalties 33 pursuant to section 175.30 of this chapter, and further, that his or her 34 request for an exception shall be null and void, provided that written 35 notice containing such determination is provided to the applicant. 36 Further, such forms shall provide each applicant an opportunity to spec- 37 ify the grounds on which he or she believes his or her application 38 information should not be publicly disclosed. These grounds, which shall 39 be identified on the application with a box beside each for checking, as 40 applicable, by the applicant, shall be as follows: 41 (i) the applicant's life or safety may be endangered by disclosure 42 because: 43 (A) the applicant is an active or retired police officer, peace offi- 44 cer, probation officer, parole officer, or corrections officer; 45 (B) the applicant is a protected person under a currently valid order 46 of protection; 47 (C) the applicant is or was a witness in a criminal proceeding involv- 48 ing a criminal charge; 49 (D) the applicant is participating or previously participated as a 50 juror in a criminal proceeding, or is or was a member of a grand jury; 51 or 52 (E) the applicant is a spouse, domestic partner or household member of 53 a person identified in this subparagraph or subparagraph (ii) of this 54 paragraph, specifying which subparagraph or subparagraphs and clauses 55 apply. 
 A. 2105 3 1 (ii) the applicant has reason to believe his or her life or safety may 2 be endangered by disclosure due to reasons stated by the applicant. 3 (iii) the applicant has reason to believe he or she may be subject to 4 unwarranted harassment upon disclosure of such information. 5 (c) Each form provided for recertification pursuant to paragraph (b) 6 of subdivision ten of this section shall include an opportunity for the 7 applicant to request an exception from the information provided on such 8 form becoming public record pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivi- 9 sion. Such forms shall notify applicants that, upon discovery that an 10 applicant knowingly provided false information, such applicant may be 11 subject to penalties pursuant to section 175.30 of this chapter, and 12 further, that his or her request for an exception shall be null and 13 void, provided that written notice containing such determination is 14 provided to the applicant. Further, such forms shall provide each appli- 15 cant an opportunity to either decline to request the grant or continua- 16 tion of an exception, or specify the grounds on which he or she believes 17 his or her information should not be publicly disclosed. These grounds, 18 which shall be identified in the application with a box beside each for 19 checking, as applicable, by the applicant, shall be the same as provided 20 in paragraph (b) of this subdivision. 21 (d) Information submitted on the forms described in paragraph (b) of 22 this subdivision shall be excepted from disclosure and maintained by the 23 entity retaining such information separate and apart from all other 24 records. 25 (e) (i) Upon receiving a request for exception from disclosure, the 26 licensing officer shall grant such exception, unless the request is 27 determined to be null and void, pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this 28 subdivision. 29 (ii) A request for an exception from disclosure may be submitted at 30 any time, including after a license or recertification has been granted. 31 (iii) If an exception is sought and granted pursuant to paragraph (b) 32 of this subdivision, the application information shall not be public 33 record, unless the request is determined to be null and void. If an 34 exception is sought and granted pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdi- 35 vision, the information concerning such recertification application 36 shall not be public record, unless the request is determined to be null 37 and void. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subparagraph, 38 local and state law enforcement shall, upon request, be granted access 39 to and copies of such application information provided that such infor- 40 mation obtained by law enforcement pursuant to this subparagraph shall 41 not be considered a public record of such law enforcement agency. 42 (f) The information of licensees or applicants for a license shall not 43 be disclosed to the public during the first one hundred twenty days 44 following the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand 45 thirteen, which amended this section. After such period, the information 46 of those who had applied for or been granted a license prior to the 47 preparation of the form for requesting an exception, pursuant to para- 48 graph (b) of this subdivision, may be released only if such individuals 49 did not file a request for such an exception during the first sixty days 50 following such preparation; provided, however, that no information 51 contained in an application for licensure or recertification shall be 52 disclosed by an entity that has not completed processing any such 53 requests received during such sixty days. 54 (g) If a request for an exception is determined to be null and void 55 pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this subdivision, an applicant may 56 request review of such determination pursuant to article seventy-eight 
 A. 2105 4 1 of the civil practice laws and rules. Such proceeding must commence 2 within thirty days after service of the written notice containing the 3 adverse determination. Notice of the right to commence such a petition, 4 and the time period therefor, shall be included in the notice of the 5 determination. Disclosure following such a petition shall not be made 6 prior to the disposition of such review.] 7 § 2. This act shall take effect the first of November next succeeding 8 the date on which it shall have become a law.