S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2731
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to allowing rifles, shotguns,
   and firearms on college and university campuses
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 265.01-a of the penal law, as separately amended by
 chapters 138 and 354 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
 § 265.01-a Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds.
   A  person  is  guilty  of  criminal  possession  of a weapon on school
 grounds when [he or she] SUCH PERSON knowingly has in [his or her] THEIR
 possession a rifle, shotgun,  or  firearm  in  or  upon  a  building  or
 grounds,  used  for  educational  purposes,  of any school[, college, or
 university, except the forestry lands, wherever  located,  owned,  main-
 tained or held in trust for the benefit of the New York State College of
 Forestry  at  Syracuse  University, now known as the State University of
 New York college of environmental  science  and  forestry,]  or  upon  a
 school  bus  as  defined in section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle
 and traffic law, without the written authorization of  such  educational
 institution;  provided, however no school, as defined in subdivision ten
 of section eleven hundred twenty-five of the education law, shall  issue
 such  written  authorization  to  any  teacher, school administrator, or
 other person employed at the school who is not primarily employed  as  a
 school  resource  officer,  police  officer,  peace officer, or security
 guard who has been issued a special armed  guard  registration  card  as
 defined in section eighty-nine-f of the general business law, regardless
 of  whether the person is employed directly by such school or by a third
 party.  THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY  BUILDINGS
 OR GROUNDS.
   Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds is a class E felony.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06900-01-5