Senator Phil Boyle Applauds Assembly Passage Of SAFE Act Amendment

 Urges Senate To Exempt Retired Law Enforcement Officers

Albany, NY - Senator Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore), the first state legislator to offer an amendment to the NY SAFE Act, applauded the New York State Assembly today for passing legislation based on his amendment. 

Senator Boyle's bill, drafted the morning after passage of Governor Cuomo's gun control measure, exempted retired law enforcement officers from the ban on the possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices.

“I urge my colleagues in the Senate to follow suit and pass legislation allowing retired law enforcement to possess large capacity ammunition feeding devices now prohibited by the SAFE Act,”  Senator Boyle said.  “These retired officers are trained and experienced in the use of firearms and help to protect our citizens and to keep our communities safer.”

Retired law enforcement and peace officers have expressed concerns about the recently enacted SAFE Act and its limitations for them to possess large capacity magazines.  The legislation which passed the Assembly today (A6356A) permits  a qualified retired New York or federal law enforcement officer to possess an assault weapon that they were issued or that they purchased in the course of their official duties.  This bill also requires that the retired officer be trained on the use of the weapon using the feeding device within 12 months of their retirement and also requires that they re-qualify every three years.

Senator Boyle has also introduced legislation called the "Defend Our Homes" Act which exempts all law-abiding New York gun-owners from the NY SAFE Act's limitation of seven rounds in a ten round magazine.  Boyle's bill would return the limit to the pre-SAFE Act ten rounds for those with firearms properly stored in their homes.