S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10331
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 17, 2024
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Paulin) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the family court act, the penal law and the civil prac-
tice law and rules, in relation to allowing access to juvenile delin-
quency records for the purposes of a firearm background check and
authorizing the denial of a firearm license for an applicant who is
under the age of thirty and who as a juvenile was adjudicated delin-
quent for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute
a felony or serious offense
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 380.1 of the family court act, as
amended by chapter 37 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as
follows:
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, where a finding of
juvenile delinquency has been entered, upon request, the records
pertaining to such case shall be made available to the commissioner of
mental health or the commissioner [of] FOR PEOPLE WITH developmental
disabilities, as appropriate; the case review panel; [and] the attorney
general pursuant to section 10.05 of the mental hygiene law; THE
NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM IN CONNECTION WITH A
BACKGROUND CHECK CONDUCTED ON A PERSON UNDER TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF AGE
PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. § 922(T)(1)(C) AND 34 U.S.C. § 40901(1); THE DIVI-
SION OF STATE POLICE IN CONNECTION WITH A BACKGROUND CHECK CONDUCTED ON
A PERSON UNDER THIRTY YEARS OF AGE PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWEN-
TY-EIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW; A LICENSING OFFICER PURSUANT TO AN INVES-
TIGATION OF AN APPLICANT WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY FOR A LICENSE TO
BE ISSUED OR RENEWED UNDER SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 400.00 OF THE
PENAL LAW; AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DIRECTED BY A COURT TO CONDUCT A
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION IN A PROCEEDING UNDER SECTION SIXTY-THREE
HUNDRED FORTY-TWO OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES REGARDING A
RESPONDENT IN SUCH PROCEEDING WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY.
§ 2. Section 381.2 of the family court act is amended by adding a new
subdivision 3 to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14987-02-4
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3. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION,
A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DIRECTED BY A COURT TO CONDUCT A BACKGROUND
INVESTIGATION IN A PROCEEDING UNDER SECTION SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED FORTY-
TWO OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES REGARDING A RESPONDENT IN SUCH
PROCEEDING WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY, MAY RECEIVE AND CONSIDER THE
RECORDS AND INFORMATION ON FILE WITH THE FAMILY COURT, UNLESS SUCH
RECORDS AND INFORMATION HAVE BEEN SEALED PURSUANT TO SECTION 375.1 OF
THIS ARTICLE.
§ 3. Subdivision 2 of section 381.3 of the family court act, as added
by chapter 920 of the laws of 1982 and paragraph (b) as amended by chap-
ter 926 of the laws of 1982, is amended to read as follows:
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one, the family court
in the county in which the petition was adjudicated may, upon motion and
for good cause shown, order such records open:
(a) to the respondent or [his] THE RESPONDENT'S parent or person
responsible for [his] THE RESPONDENT'S care; [or]
(b) if the respondent is subsequently convicted of a crime, to a judge
of the court in which [he] THE RESPONDENT was convicted, unless such
record has been sealed pursuant to section 375.1; OR
(C) TO THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE IN CONNECTION WITH A BACKGROUND
CHECK CONDUCTED ON A PERSON UNDER THIRTY YEARS OF AGE PURSUANT TO
SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
§ 4. Subdivision 1 of section 400.00 of the penal law, as separately
amended by chapters 371 and 669 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read
as follows:
1. Eligibility. No license shall be issued or renewed pursuant to this
section except by the licensing officer, and then only after investi-
gation and finding that all statements in a proper application for a
license are true. No license shall be issued or renewed except for an
applicant (a) twenty-one years of age or older, provided, however, that
where such applicant has been honorably discharged from the United
States army, navy, marine corps, air force or coast guard, or the
national guard of the state of New York, no such age restriction shall
apply; (b) of good moral character, which, for the purposes of this
article, shall mean having the essential character, temperament and
[judgement] JUDGMENT necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use
it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others; (c) who
has not been convicted anywhere of a felony or a serious offense or who
is not the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the
alleged commission of a felony or serious offense; (d) WHO IS NOT AN
APPLICANT WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY AND WHO AS A JUVENILE WAS ADJU-
DICATED DELINQUENT FOR AN OFFENSE WHICH, IF COMMITTED BY AN ADULT, WOULD
CONSTITUTE A FELONY OR SERIOUS OFFENSE; (E) who is not a fugitive from
justice; [(e)] (F) who is not an unlawful user of or addicted to any
controlled substance as defined in section 21 U.S.C. 802; [(f)] (G) who
being a noncitizen (i) is not illegally or unlawfully in the United
States or (ii) has not been admitted to the United States under a nonim-
migrant visa subject to the exception in 18 U.S.C. 922(y)(2); [(g)] (H)
who has not been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable
conditions; [(h)] (I) who, having been a citizen of the United States,
has not renounced [his or her] SUCH APPLICANT'S citizenship; [(i)] (J)
who has stated whether [he or she] SUCH APPLICANT has ever suffered any
mental illness; [(j)] (K) who has not been involuntarily committed to a
facility under the jurisdiction of an office of the department of mental
hygiene pursuant to article nine or fifteen of the mental hygiene law,
article seven hundred thirty or section 330.20 of the criminal procedure
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law or substantially similar laws of any other state, section four
hundred two or five hundred eight of the correction law, section 322.2
or 353.4 of the family court act, has not been civilly confined in a
secure treatment facility pursuant to article ten of the mental hygiene
law, or has not been the subject of a report made pursuant to section
9.46 of the mental hygiene law; [(k)] (L) who has not had a license
revoked or who is not under a suspension or ineligibility order issued
pursuant to the provisions of section 530.14 of the criminal procedure
law or section eight hundred forty-two-a of the family court act; [(l)]
(M) in the county of Westchester, who has successfully completed a
firearms safety course and test as evidenced by a certificate of
completion issued in [his or her] SUCH APPLICANT'S name and endorsed and
affirmed under the penalties of perjury by a duly authorized instructor,
except that: (i) persons who are honorably discharged from the United
States army, navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of the national guard
of the state of New York, and produce evidence of official qualification
in firearms during the term of service are not required to have
completed those hours of a firearms safety course pertaining to the safe
use, carrying, possession, maintenance and storage of a firearm; (ii)
persons who were licensed to possess a pistol or revolver prior to the
effective date of this paragraph are not required to have completed a
firearms safety course and test, provided, however, persons with a
license issued under paragraph (f) of subdivision two of this section
prior to the effective date of CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY-ONE OF the
laws of two thousand twenty-two [which amended this paragraph] shall be
required to complete the training required by subdivision nineteen of
this section prior to the recertification of such license; and (iii)
persons applying for a license under paragraph (f) of subdivision two of
this section on or after the effective date of [the] chapter [of] THREE
HUNDRED SEVENTY-ONE OF the laws of two thousand twenty-two [which
amended this paragraph] who shall be required to complete the training
required under subdivision nineteen of this section for such license;
[(m)] (N) who has not had a guardian appointed for [him or her] SUCH
APPLICANT pursuant to any provision of state law, based on a determi-
nation that as a result of marked subnormal intelligence, mental
illness, incompetency, incapacity, condition or disease, [he or she]
SUCH APPLICANT lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage [his or
her] SUCH APPLICANT'S own affairs; [(n)] (O) for a license issued under
paragraph (f) of subdivision two of this section, that the applicant has
not been convicted within five years of the date of the application of
any of the following: (i) assault in the third degree, as defined in
section 120.00 of this chapter; (ii) misdemeanor driving while intoxi-
cated, as defined in section eleven hundred ninety-two of the vehicle
and traffic law; or (iii) menacing, as defined in section 120.15 of this
chapter; and [(o)] (P) for a license issued under paragraph (f) of
subdivision two of this section, the applicant shall meet in person with
the licensing officer for an interview and shall, in addition to any
other information or forms required by the license application submit to
the licensing officer the following information: (i) names and contact
information for the applicant's current spouse, or domestic partner, any
other adults residing in the applicant's home, including any adult chil-
dren of the applicant, and whether or not there are minors residing,
full time or part time, in the applicant's home; (ii) names and contact
information of no less than four character references who can attest to
the applicant's good moral character and that such applicant has not
engaged in any acts, or made any statements that suggest they are likely
A. 10331 4
to engage in conduct that would result in harm to themselves or others;
(iii) certification of completion of the training required in subdivi-
sion nineteen of this section; (iv) a list of former and current social
media accounts of the applicant from the past three years to confirm the
information regarding the [applicants] APPLICANT'S character and conduct
as required in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph; and (v) such other
information required by the licensing officer that is reasonably neces-
sary and related to the review of the licensing application.
§ 5. Subdivision 9 of section 6342 of the civil practice law and
rules, as added by chapter 19 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as
follows:
9. (A) Upon issuance of a temporary extreme risk protection order, or
upon setting a hearing for a final extreme risk protection order where a
temporary order is denied or not requested, the court shall direct the
law enforcement agency having jurisdiction to conduct a background
investigation and report to the court and, subject to any appropriate
redactions to protect any person, each party regarding whether the
respondent:
[(a)] (I) has any prior criminal conviction for an offense involving
domestic violence, use of a weapon, or other violence;
[(b)] (II) has any criminal charge or violation currently pending
against [him or her] THE RESPONDENT;
[(c)] (III) is currently on parole or probation;
[(d)] (IV) possesses any registered firearms, rifles or shotguns; and
[(e)] (V) has been, or is, subject to any order of protection or has
violated or allegedly violated any order of protection.
(B) IF THE RESPONDENT IS UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY, INVESTIGATION
REQUIRED BY PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL ALSO REPORT TO THE
COURT AND SUBJECT TO ANY APPROPRIATE REDACTIONS TO PROTECT ANY PERSON,
EACH PARTY REGARDING WHETHER THE RESPONDENT:
(I) AS A JUVENILE WAS ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT FOR AN OFFENSE WHICH, IF
COMMITTED BY AN ADULT, WOULD CONSTITUTE AN OFFENSE INVOLVING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE, USE OF A WEAPON, OR OTHER VIOLENCE; AND
(II) HAS ANY JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PROCEEDING CURRENTLY PENDING AGAINST
SUCH RESPONDENT.
§ 6. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law.