NY Bill Would Require People To Prove Sanity Before Buying Guns
If this bill goes through, your sanity is going to be decided by a team of individuals in NYC using a standard form before you can buy a gun.
Holly Matkin
Feb 6, 2020
New York State Senator James Sanders' proposed law changes would apply to all firearms exchanges in the state.
Albany, NY – New York lawmakers are considering a bill that would require anyone seeking to purchase a firearm to complete a mental health evaluation first.
SB 7065, which was introduced by State Senator James Sanders, a Democrat, would require prospective gun buyers to prove their mental fitness prior to a background check being conducted.
Such “proof” would need to be presented “before any sale, exchange, or disposal of a firearm, rifle or shotgun at a gun show, by a federally licensed dealer or private sale, including when such sale, exchange or disposal is between immediate family members,” according to the bill.
Purchasers would be required to “provide the seller with proof of his or her approval to purchase” such weapons after submitting to an evaluation through a process that would be established by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
The Commissioner of Mental Health would be tasked with establishing regulations “relating to mental health professionals approved to perform the evaluation, the process for evaluation, and the development of a standardized form to be used by mental health professionals” performing the evaluations, according to the bill.
Failure to abide by the proposed law would result in a felony charge of criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon, which is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
If this bill goes through, your sanity is going to be decided by a team of individuals in NYC using a standard form before you can buy a gun.
Holly Matkin
Feb 6, 2020
New York State Senator James Sanders' proposed law changes would apply to all firearms exchanges in the state.
Albany, NY – New York lawmakers are considering a bill that would require anyone seeking to purchase a firearm to complete a mental health evaluation first.
SB 7065, which was introduced by State Senator James Sanders, a Democrat, would require prospective gun buyers to prove their mental fitness prior to a background check being conducted.
Such “proof” would need to be presented “before any sale, exchange, or disposal of a firearm, rifle or shotgun at a gun show, by a federally licensed dealer or private sale, including when such sale, exchange or disposal is between immediate family members,” according to the bill.
Purchasers would be required to “provide the seller with proof of his or her approval to purchase” such weapons after submitting to an evaluation through a process that would be established by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
The Commissioner of Mental Health would be tasked with establishing regulations “relating to mental health professionals approved to perform the evaluation, the process for evaluation, and the development of a standardized form to be used by mental health professionals” performing the evaluations, according to the bill.
Failure to abide by the proposed law would result in a felony charge of criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon, which is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
