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August 11, 2004 Albany Legislature nixes pistol permit renewals The state Legislature this week plans to finally put to rest the governor's proposal to require regular renewals of pistol licenses. The governor wanted pistol owners to renew their licenses every five years and pay a fee of at least $100. Now, unless they're revoked for cause, pistol licenses are good for life. The fee would have generated an estimated $31 million a year. Administration officials also argued that the renewal requirement would help the state police keep its database of handgun owners up to date. More than 1 million pistol licenses have been issued in New York since 1936. But many of the governor's fellow Republicans in the Legislature were incensed by the proposal, arguing that it would infringe on Second Amendment rights while serving no law-enforcement purpose. "The people least likely to commit crimes with guns are the law-abiding pistol licensees whose guns are registered and whose fingerprints are on record with the state police and the FBI," said Sen. James Seward, R-Milford. This week, lawmakers plan to pass a public-safety budget bill that does not include the pistol-permit proposal. Paul Ertelt 40 Mulberry Street * PO Box 2046 * Middletown, NY 10940 Telephone 845-341-1100 or 800-295-2181 outside the Middletown, N.Y., area. Copyright Orange County Publications. All rights reserved.
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