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Erie County Clerk's Office stays busy as people seek pistol permits

Revised New York State law requires 16 hours of in-person training, 2 hours of live-fire exercises, and social media reviews.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — For gun owners across Western New York and the rest of the state it's a race to get in under the wire before new laws take effect Thursday, Sept. 1.

The laws were a response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that struck down the state's restrictions on pistol permits. 

Starting in September, people who get those permits will face new requirements, including 16 hours of in-person training and two hours of live-fire exercises.

Most people would also be banned from carrying the weapons in places deemed "sensitive," such as schools, churches, subways and theaters, as well as Times Square in New York City.

"We're not stripping the right away," Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "We're just saying you have to do it in a very responsible way, and we believe that the training is going to be significant and educate them about other topics, how to keep people safe. Conflict de-escalation, because when people are in conflict and they happen to be legally carrying concealed weapons now, there's a high risk that will escalate into something that is going to be fatal."

The new requirements are facing several potential legal challenges, but they don't apply to people who get their permits before the deadline. 

This situation prompted Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns to keep his office's Outreach Center at the Southgate Plaza in West Seneca open until midnight to accept permit applications under the existing rules, and some people opted to do so with the line forming in the evening hours.

Kearns told 2 On Your Side: "This process is confusing for the public, the gun owners, and the county clerks."

That is due to that new package of New York State gun laws enacted by the legislature in Governor Hochul on July 1 after the high court's ruling. Those changes taking effect at midnight with more firearms training and background checks, including social media reviews.

"This was not well thought out," Kearns said. "It's like Safe Act 2. Hurry up and get the legislation done, but as you know with the state, there are unintended consequences."

Also now recertification for those with pistol permits will be every three years instead of five, and permitting for semi-automatic rifles is required in response to the Tops mass shooting on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. 

This could impact up to 100,000 people in Erie County with pistol permits according to Sheriff John Garcia. He says there has been plenty of confusion and stress for people seeking elements like require digital fingerprinting.

"It's daunting. It's daunting. I've had people calling me that have had permits for decades and now they're confused and they're not sure what to do," he said.

Beth Mohr of Akron is a new applicant for a pistol permit who said, "With the laws changing almost all the time, I wanted to make sure I got in here and got my permit so I can get my gun."

Both Kearns and Garcia say they are just getting paperwork and forms from the state for some of these changes. 

Kearns says he may have to increase staffing in the clerks office to deal with these gun law changes. 

The sheriff says he feels law enforcement around the state should have been consulted on this law, which he calls "unconstitutional and unenforceable."

  

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