BILL NUMBER:  S4314

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the labor law, in relation to
licenses to purchase, use, or store certain compounds

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This legislation would prohibit the storage, use, or purchase of the
explosive Tannerite or similar products sold under a different name
without the proper license or other authorization to do so under the
provisions of law.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 465 of the labor law is added to require a certificate for the
purchase, use, or storage of products containing to two or more
components that are advertised and sold together with instructions on
how to combine the components to create any device designed or
specifically adapted to facilitate a detonation or combustion.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Tannerite is an explosive made from two separate compounds, ammonium
nitrate and aluminum powder. The compound is intended to be used as a
small exploding target for target practice. However, when large
amounts of the chemicals are combined, the results can create a
              

powerful and dangerous explosion. In January of 2013 in Busti, NY, a
group of friends target shooting in the woods intentionally exploded
18 pounds of Tannerite. The explosion rattled neighbors and was heard
miles away. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Additional incidents have been reported elsewhere in New York State
and throughout the country. In Indiana in 2012, a woman lost her hand
when a friend exploded Tannerite inside of a dryer. In 2013, a
Minnesota man was killed at a bachelorette party when shrapnel struck
him from a Tannerite exploding target. In 2015, an 8 year old Oklahoma
boy was killed when an outdoor stove stuffed with Tannerite was shot
and exploded sending shrapnel into the child. Tin 2016 a Georgia man
lost his leg below the knee when he filled his lawnmower with three
pounds of Tannerite. And in September of 2016, a bomb containing
Tannerite, exploded on West 23rd Street in the Manhattan neighborhood
of Chelsea injuring 31 people.

In addition, in January of 2013, the FBI published a bulletin warning
that Tannerite may be used as an explosive in improvised explosive
devices, commonly known as IEDs. The bulletin explicitly states, "The
FBI assesses with medium confidence criminals and extremists may
actively be attempting to acquire exploding targets to obtain the
ammonium nitrate for use in the manufacture of improvised explosives
based on FBI investigations of individuals interested in manufacturing
explosives."

This legislation would allow only licensed and authorized individuals
to access this very dangerous compound making it more difficult for
criminals and terrorists to construct IEDs, as well as mitigate
potential injuries and deaths associated with the explosion of large
quantities of this compound.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Minimal.

 IMPACT ON REGULATION OF BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS :

Individuals would no longer be able to buy Tannerite in New York State
without a certificate required similar to the other explosives.
 EFFECT ON FINES, TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT OR OTHER PENAL SANCTIONS :

Violation of this act can result in a class E felony and/or up to
$2,500 in fines.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015/2016 A.270 (Buchwald) - Referred to Labor - Passed Assembly in
2016 / S.5276 (Martins) Committed to Rules
2014: A.9871 (Buchwald) - Referred to Labor

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.