Hochul Announces New Gun Safety Actions Across New York
The state will increase dealer inspections, expand interstate enforcement and pursue an in-person firearm sales requirement.
New York gun safety actions announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul will increase inspections of firearm dealers connected to guns recovered in crimes, strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies and prepare the state for possible changes to federal firearm regulations.
Hochul announced the measures Thursday, July 30, in response to more than 30 regulatory proposals released by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Federal officials describe their initiative as an effort to modernize rules, protect Second Amendment rights and reduce unnecessary burdens on lawful firearm owners and businesses. Gun safety advocates and New York officials argue that some changes could weaken oversight and make gun trafficking more difficult to prevent.
What are New York’s new gun safety actions?
The plan has four central parts:
- Prioritize State Police inspections of firearm dealers linked to crime guns.
- Expand the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns.
- Educate dealers about firearm laws that remain in effect in New York.
- Pursue legislation requiring firearm sales to take place in person.
Some of these measures can begin through state agencies. The proposed in-person sales requirement would need approval from the state Legislature.
State Police will inspect dealers linked to crime guns
The New York State Police will prioritize on-site inspections of state-licensed firearm dealers identified as sources of guns later recovered during criminal investigations.
A firearm traced to a dealer does not, by itself, prove that the dealer broke the law. A gun may have been lawfully sold and later stolen, resold or transferred.
However, repeated crime-gun traces connected to the same business can provide investigators with information about possible recordkeeping failures, suspicious sales patterns or illegal trafficking.
State Police will also work with the New York Attorney General’s Office when increased enforcement against repeatedly traced dealers may be appropriate, according to Hochul’s office.
Hochul said federal licensing actions have traditionally been handled largely by the ATF. She argued that changes in federal enforcement will require New York to take a stronger role in monitoring dealers licensed by the state.
“New York State is taking action to blunt their efforts by bolstering our nation-leading gun laws and committing to closing the loopholes that put lives in jeopardy,” Hochul said.
Interstate illegal gun task force will expand
Hochul also directed the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns to broaden its work.
New York created the task force in 2022 to improve cooperation among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Participating states include:
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
The task force will reconvene to develop a coordinated response to federal regulatory changes. Agencies will also increase information sharing when a firearm recovered in one state was originally purchased in another.
That cooperation matters because firearms used in New York crimes may have been acquired outside the state. Investigators commonly use tracing information to reconstruct how a weapon moved from its original legal sale into an illegal market.
The expanded effort will focus on trafficking routes, suspicious purchasing patterns and dealers repeatedly associated with crime-gun recoveries.
New York plans education campaign for gun dealers
The state will launch a public awareness campaign directed at firearm dealers and licensing officials.
The campaign will remind businesses that New York’s firearm laws remain enforceable even when federal regulations are revised or withdrawn.
The Division of Criminal Justice Services and State Police will develop the campaign, which is expected to include emails and direct mail.
State officials said the outreach will explain which federal changes have little or no practical effect in New York because state law already imposes stricter requirements.
The campaign could help prevent confusion among dealers operating under two separate systems. Firearm businesses in New York generally must follow both federal and state requirements, with the stronger applicable restriction often determining what is permitted.
Hochul seeks in-person firearm sales requirement
The most significant proposed legislative change would require firearms to be sold in person in New York.
One of the federal proposals would permit licensed dealers to ship firearms directly to eligible buyers within the same state after identity verification, a background check, notification to local law enforcement and a waiting period.
Current federal procedures generally require buyers completing online purchases to retrieve the weapon from a licensed dealer, where the final transfer and identification check occur.
The ATF says its proposal would modernize non-over-the-counter transactions while preserving federal background-check and identity-verification requirements. The rule has not been finalized.
At the start of New York’s next legislative session, Hochul plans to propose an amendment to state penal law requiring the sale of a firearm to be completed in person.
New York already requires ammunition transfers to occur in person. Hochul’s proposal would apply a similar standard to firearms.
Supporters say face-to-face transactions make it easier to verify a buyer’s identity and reduce the risk of fraudulent purchases, theft during shipping or firearms being delivered to an unauthorized person.
Opponents may argue that verified home delivery would provide convenience to lawful gun owners, especially people who live far from licensed dealers or have limited mobility.
That debate will take place in Albany if legislation is formally introduced.
What is the federal government changing?
The Justice Department and ATF announced a package of 34 proposed or final regulatory actions in April.
Federal officials called the package a new era of reform. They said the changes would simplify forms and regulations, modernize firearm transactions and reduce burdens on lawful gun owners and federally licensed businesses.
Among the most closely watched proposals are measures that could:
- Revise the definition of who is considered to be engaged in the business of selling firearms.
- Permit certain non-over-the-counter firearm transactions.
- Change recordkeeping, licensing and identification procedures.
- Modify rules involving firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act.
Several proposals remain open to public comment and have not taken effect. The final language, implementation dates and legal consequences may therefore change.
The Associated Press reported that one proposed reversal concerns a 2024 rule requiring more people selling guns for profit at shows, online or outside traditional stores to obtain licenses and conduct background checks.
Supporters and critics see the issue differently
Gun safety organizations standing with Hochul said weakened federal oversight could make it more difficult to identify irresponsible dealers and stop illegal trafficking.
They also warned that online delivery could create new risks involving identity fraud, straw purchasing and package theft.
Gun rights supporters take a different view. They maintain that the federal changes remove confusing or excessive regulations without eliminating background checks for purchases made through licensed dealers.
The ATF’s proposed home-delivery framework, for example, would still require identity verification, a federal background check, notification to local law enforcement and a seven-day waiting period, according to the agency and published reports.
The central policy question is whether those safeguards offer the same level of security as an in-person transfer.
New York officials say they do not. The federal government and many gun rights advocates say modern technology can allow lawful transactions without forcing every buyer to visit a store.
What happens next?
State Police can begin prioritizing inspections and strengthening coordination without waiting for a new statute.
The dealer education campaign can also move forward through existing state agencies.
The in-person firearm sales requirement will take longer. Hochul must introduce legislation, and lawmakers will have an opportunity to revise, approve or reject it during the next legislative session.
Meanwhile, many of the federal proposals must complete the rulemaking process. That may include public comment, agency review and possible legal challenges before final implementation.
New Yorkers should therefore separate immediate state actions from proposals still under consideration:
- Immediate: Increased dealer inspections and expanded interstate cooperation.
- In development: A statewide dealer education campaign.
- Proposed: A New York law requiring in-person firearm sales.
- Not yet final: Several federal firearm regulation changes.
New York sets a different course
The Hochul administration has made clear that New York will preserve its stricter firearm standards even as federal policy moves in another direction.
The state’s response combines enforcement, education, regional cooperation and possible legislation. Whether those actions reduce illegal trafficking will depend on careful inspections, reliable tracing data and sustained coordination among agencies.
Responsible gun ownership and effective public safety do not have to be opposing goals. Lawmakers should examine the evidence, explain the practical effects of each proposal and ensure that any final policy protects both constitutional rights and New York communities.
Residents can follow the legislative process, submit comments on federal proposals and contact their elected representatives to express their views before the rules and state legislation are finalized.
