Gun Registration and Ownership Tax Introduced in the New York Senate

Please contact members of the Senate Codes Committee! 

A bill has been introduced in the New York Senate that would require gun owners to register all of their firearms.  Senate Bill 2994 has been referred to the Senate Codes Committee, but currently no hearing date has been set.

Sponsored by state Senator Eric Adams (D-20), S. 2994 would require firearms to be registered with a $15 per gun fee.  An additional $10 would be charged annually for renewal.  This registration legislation would require gun owners to list the serial number and model of every gun they own, in addition to personal information.  Gun owners know that criminals will never register their illegally possessed guns and, in fact, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Haynes v. U.S. (309 U.S. 85 (1968)) that since felons are prohibited from owning firearms, compelling them to register their guns would violate their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.  In addition, this ill-conceived legislation would constitute a substantial state tax on gun ownership.  Historically, these failed registration schemes have also been very costly for jurisdictions to maintain, and they have been completely ineffective.  Registration is a dangerous step toward confiscation and an assault on the Second Amendment. 

Please contact members of the Senate Codes Committee and respectfully ask them to oppose S. 2994.  Contact information for this committee is listed below.

Senate Codes Committee:

Senator Stephen M. Saland (R-41), Chairman
(518) 455-2411
[email protected]

Senator John A. DeFrancisco (R-50)
(518) 455-3511
[email protected]

Senator Thomas K. Duane (D-29)
(518) 455-2451
[email protected]

Senator Adriano Espaillat (D-31)
(518) 455-2041
[email protected]

Senator John J. Flanagan (R-2)
(518) 455-2071
[email protected]

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. (R-8)
(518) 455-3341
[email protected]

Senator Patrick M. Galivan (R-59)
(518) 455-3471
[email protected]

Senator Michael Gianaris (D-12)
[email protected]

Senator Martin J. Golden (R-22)
(518) 455-2730
[email protected]

Senator Shirley L. Huntley (D-10)
(518) 455-3531
[email protected]

Senator Andrew J. Lanza (R-24)
(518) 455-3215
[email protected]

Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-54)
(518) 455-2366
[email protected]

Senator Thomas F. O’Mara (R-53)
(518) 455-2091
[email protected]

Senator Kevin S. Parker (D-21)
(518) 455-2580
[email protected]

Senator Bill Perkins (D-30)
(518) 455-2441
[email protected]

Senator Daniel L. Squadron (D-25)
(518) 455-2625
[email protected]