Utica-area politicians, law enforcement condemn recent NY gun laws

State legislators, county sheriffs and other local officials criticized the most recent New York State gun reforms Wednesday at a press conference at the state office building in Utica.

The legislation, signed into law July 1 by Gov. Kathy Hochul, includes a number of new requirements for pistol permit applicants, but officials particularly condemned new limits on where guns can be carried in public.

"It makes law-abiding citizens felons," Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, said.

The legislation bans concealed carry for most gun owners from medical or educational buildings, zoos, public transit and other spaces, and is set to take effect Sept. 1.

The changes were signed into law a week after a United States Supreme Court decision struck down New York's "proper cause" law to carry a handgun, which required a need for self-protection greater than most to carry a handgun.

Other local officials present Wednesday included state Assembly members Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy, Robert Smullen, R-Meco, and Brian Miller, R-New Hartford, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr., Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol and Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood.

Officials also criticized what they described as a lack of input from local governments in the bill's passage. Picente noted confusion over whether gun-owners living in the nearby Adirondack Park are restricted. Hochul's office has said the forest preserve does not fall under the category of "sensitive" public places.

"It was done without any regard to our local governments," State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, said. "There's a lot of ambiguity in this, a lot of concerning language."

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Picente said there are 37,000 pistol permit holders in Oneida County, which has a population of about 230,000. A message on the county's pistol permit office web page noted it would be closed Thursday "due to document inventory as a result of the NYS new gun legislation." A message on the office's phone line states the office is unable to answer calls "due to an extremely high volume of calls based on the Supreme Court's decision."

Griffo said while a bill package should have been passed to address gun violence, it should have focused on mental health and illegal gun use among other factors. He said he and other legislators would be introducing a bill to repeal the most recent gun laws.

Officials were also looking to possible intervention by the United States Supreme Court. Republican congressional candidate Carl Paladino recently filed in federal court what is expected to be one of several lawsuits challenging the new gun laws.

"I'm hopeful that there will be a swift judicial intervention," Smullen said.

H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking and trending news for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica-area politicians, law enforcement condemn NY gun law