S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4727
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 23, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to lowering from 12 years  to
   10 years the minimum age of a child authorized to engage in supervised
   loading  and  firing  of  rifles, shotguns and pistols, and increasing
   from 18 years to 21 years the minimum age of the designated supervisor
   of such a child
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraphs  7,  7-c  and  7-d of subdivision a of section
 265.20 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 150 of the laws of  2020,
 are amended to read as follows:
   7.  Possession, at an indoor or outdoor shooting range for the purpose
 of loading and firing, of a rifle or shotgun, the  propelling  force  of
 which  is gunpowder by a person under sixteen years of age but not under
 [twelve] TEN, under the immediate supervision, guidance and  instruction
 of  (a) a duly commissioned officer of the United States army, navy, air
 force, marine corps or coast guard, or of  the  national  guard  of  the
 state  of  New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen of the United
 States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms
 practice issued by the United States army, navy,  air  force  or  marine
 corps,  or  by the adjutant general of this state, by the national rifle
 association of America,  a  not-for-profit  corporation  duly  organized
 under  the  laws  of  this  state,  or by a New York state 4-H certified
 shooting sports instructor; or (c) a parent, guardian, or a person  over
 the age of [eighteen] TWENTY-ONE designated in writing by such parent or
 guardian  who  shall  have a certificate of qualification in responsible
 hunting,  including  safety,  ethics,  and  landowner   relations-hunter
 relations,  issued or honored by the department of environmental conser-
 vation; or (d) an agent of the department of environmental  conservation
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09178-01-3
 A. 4727                             2
              

 
 appointed  to  conduct courses in responsible hunting practices pursuant
 to article eleven of the environmental conservation law.
   7-c.  Possession  for  the  purpose of loading and firing, of a rifle,
 pistol or shotgun, the propelling force of  which  may  be  either  air,
 compressed  gas  or  springs, by a person under sixteen years of age but
 not under [twelve] TEN, under the immediate  supervision,  guidance  and
 instruction  of  (a)  a  duly  commissioned officer of the United States
 army, navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of the national guard of the
 state of New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen of  the  United
 States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms
 practice  issued  by the United States army, navy or marine corps, or by
 the adjutant general of this state, by the national rifle association of
 America, a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the  laws  of
 this  state,  or  by  a  New  York  state  4-H certified shooting sports
 instructor; or (c) a parent, guardian, or  a  person  over  the  age  of
 [eighteen]  TWENTY-ONE  designated in writing by such parent or guardian
 who shall have a certificate of qualification  in  responsible  hunting,
 including  safety,  ethics,  and  landowner  relations-hunter relations,
 issued or honored by the department of environmental conservation.
   7-d. Possession, at an  indoor  or  outdoor  shooting  range  for  the
 purpose  of  loading  and  firing,  of  a  rifle, pistol or shotgun, the
 propelling force of which may be either air, compressed gas or  springs,
 by  a person under [twelve] TEN years of age, under the immediate super-
 vision, guidance and instruction of (a) a duly commissioned  officer  of
 the  United  States  army,  navy, marine corps or coast guard, or of the
 national guard of the state of New York; or (b) a duly  qualified  adult
 citizen  of  the  United States who has been granted a certificate as an
 instructor in small arms practice issued by the United States army, navy
 or marine corps, or by the  adjutant  general  of  this  state,  by  the
 national rifle association of America, a not-for-profit corporation duly
 organized  under  the  laws  of  this  state, or by a New York state 4-H
 certified shooting sports instructor; or (c) a parent,  guardian,  or  a
 person  over  the  age of [eighteen] TWENTY-ONE designated in writing by
 such parent or guardian who shall have a certificate of qualification in
 responsible hunting, including safety, ethics, and landowner  relations-
 hunter  relations,  issued or honored by the department of environmental
 conservation.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.