S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          198
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Codes
       AN ACT to amend the penal law and the state finance law, in relation  to
         an examination for firearm proficiency
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1.  Section 400.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new
    2  subdivision 14-a to read as follows:
    3    14-A. (A) NO PERSON SHALL HAVE OR POSSESS  A  FIREARM  AS  DEFINED  IN
    4  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  SECTION  265.00 OF THIS CHAPTER UNLESS HE OR SHE
    5  SHALL HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AN EXAMINATION AND MET THE APPROPRIATE
    6  STANDARDS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL
    7  JUSTICE SERVICES HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO  AS  THE  COMMISSIONER  IN  THE
    8  EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
    9    (B)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, IN COOPERATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
   10  THE DIVISION OF  THE  STATE  POLICE,  ESTABLISH  MINIMUM  STANDARDS  FOR
   11  FIREARM PROFICIENCY AND DEVELOP AN EXAMINATION TO MEASURE FIREARM PROFI-
   12  CIENCY.
   13    (C)  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL IN COOPERATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
   14  THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE PROVIDE THE STANDARDS AND  EXAMINATIONS  ON
   15  REQUEST  TO  ANY  QUALIFIED  FIREARM  INSTRUCTOR AND ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT
   16  AGENCIES WITHIN THE STATE. THE PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION MAY BE  CONDUCTED
   17  BY  ANY QUALIFIED FIREARM INSTRUCTOR APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OR LAW
   18  ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   19    (I) A WRITTEN SECTION ON THE LAWS RELATING TO FIREARMS;
   20    (II) A PHYSICAL DEMONSTRATION OF PROFICIENCY IN THE  USE  OF  FIREARMS
   21  AND IN FIREARMS SAFETY PROCEDURES;
   22    (III)  A  LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING A LICENSEE'S DUTIES, RESPONSI-
   23  BILITIES AND LIABILITIES PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER AND CIVIL STATUTES  OF
   24  THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND OF THE UNITED STATES; AND
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02496-01-5
       A. 198                              2
    1    (IV) A LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN FIREARM SAFETY.
    2    IN  ESTABLISHING  SUCH  STANDARDS,  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL ESTABLISH
    3  FIREARM PROFICIENCY STANDARDS CONSISTENT WITH THE AVERAGE FIREARM  OWNER
    4  OF THE STATE.
    5    (D)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE DIRECTIONS FOR TEST
    6  ADMINISTRATION AND RECORD KEEPING. ALL TEST RESULTS SHALL  BE  FORWARDED
    7  TO THE COMMISSIONER WHO SHALL MAINTAIN A RECORD OF SUCH RESULTS.
    8    (E)  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP A FIREARM PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE
    9  WHICH SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL QUALIFIED FIREARM INSTRUCTORS AND  LAW
   10  ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
   11    (F) UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SUCH FIREARM PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
   12  THE   INSTRUCTOR  SHALL  ENDORSE  THE  FIREARM  PROFICIENCY  CERTIFICATE
   13  REFLECTING SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THE EXAMINATION.
   14    (G) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT APPLY TO A PERSON:
   15    (I) IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS OR HER ACTUAL DUTIES AS A  MEMBER  OF  THE
   16  ARMED  FORCES,  THE  NATIONAL GUARD OR CORRECTIONS OFFICER EMPLOYED IN A
   17  CORRECTIONAL FACILITY; OR
   18    (II) WHO IS A DULY AUTHORIZED MEMBER OF A LAW  ENFORCEMENT  AGENCY  OF
   19  THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR OF THE UNITED STATES; OR
   20    (III) WHO IS A POLICE OFFICER AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMI-
   21  NAL PROCEDURE LAW OR A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER.
   22    (H)  NOTWITHSTANDING  THE  FOREGOING PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION OR
   23  ANY OTHER LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, NO  LICENSE  TO  HAVE
   24  AND  POSSESS  A  FIREARM  SHALL  BE  ISSUED  OR RENEWED PURSUANT TO THIS
   25  SECTION OR ANY OTHER  APPLICABLE  PROVISION  OF  LAW  RELATING  THERETO,
   26  UNLESS  THE  LICENSEE OR APPLICANT SHALL SUBMIT TO THE ISSUING OFFICER A
   27  FIREARM  PROFICIENCY  CERTIFICATE  APPROVED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER   AND
   28  ENDORSED BY THE FIREARM INSTRUCTOR.
   29    (I)  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ADOPT  A  SCHEDULE OF FEES NECESSARY TO
   30  ADMINISTER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION WHICH SHALL  BE  COLLECTED
   31  BY THE INSTRUCTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONDUCTING SUCH EXAMINA-
   32  TIONS  WHICH  SHALL  BE  TRANSMITTED TO THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
   33  SERVICES WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE RECEIPT OF SUCH FEES FOR  DEPOSIT  IN
   34  THE FIREARM PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION
   35  NINETY-TWO-O OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
   36    S  2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 92-o to
   37  read as follows:
   38    S 92-O. FIREARM PROFICIENCY  EXAMINATION  FUND.  1.  THERE  IS  HEREBY
   39  ESTABLISHED  IN  THE  JOINT  CUSTODY  OF  THE  STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE
   40  COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A FUND TO BE KNOWN AS  THE  FIREARM
   41  PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION FUND.
   42    2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED FROM FEES RECEIVED
   43  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  FOURTEEN-A OF SECTION 400.00 OF THE PENAL LAW
   44  FOR FIREARM PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS, AND ALL OTHER MONEYS  CREDITED  OR
   45  TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
   46    3.  MONEYS  OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE EXPENSES OF CARRYING
   47  OUT THE FIREARM PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVISION  FOUR-
   48  TEEN-A OF SECTION 400.00 OF THE PENAL LAW.
   49    4. MONEY SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF THE
   50  STATE  COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER
   51  OF THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES OR HIS OR HER  DESIGNEE  IN
   52  THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
   53    S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
   54  ing  the date on which it shall have become a law.  Effective immediate-
   55  ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal  of  any  rule  or  regulation
   56  necessary  for  the implementation of the foregoing sections of this act
       A. 198                              3
    1  on their effective date is authorized to be made, by the commissioner of
    2  the division of criminal justice services, on or before  such  effective
    3  date.