After the Supreme Court reaffirmed an individual’s right to keep and bear arms on Thursday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul slammed the High Court’s decision. According to Hochul, the decision will cause a “national reckoning on gun violence.”
It is outrageous that at a moment of national reckoning on gun violence, the Supreme Court has recklessly struck down a New York law that limits those who can carry concealed weapons.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) June 23, 2022
Hochul indicated she would be “calling a special session of the legislature” to address the SCOTUS ruling.
In response to this ruling, we are closely reviewing our options – including calling a special session of the legislature.
Just as we swiftly passed nation-leading gun reform legislation, I will continue to do everything in my power to keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) June 23, 2022
Hochul’s Explanation
In a press conference following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Hochul indicated “more guns” would flood the streets, making it more difficult to protect families.
Let me be clear: This is New York. We don’t back down, we fight back.
New York is still home to the strongest gun laws in the country & I’ll keep doing everything in my power to keep New Yorkers safe. pic.twitter.com/4yC4qmgVxV
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) June 23, 2022
What the Supreme Court Decision Actually Means
The Supreme Court’s decision struck down the “may issue” statute New York had in place. In “may issue” states, law-abiding Americans have to prove they have an adequate reason for needing a concealed carry weapon. A county sheriff can decide whether or not the applicant’s reason is reason enough to approve the application.
As I told Gov. Hochul, the people that suffer the most in “may issue” starts are domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.
It’s outrageous that you want sexual assault survivors like myself to prove we have a “need” for a CCW, even though our past is proof enough. I know what that’s like because I lived in your buddy Gavin Newsom’s state at the time.
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) June 23, 2022
Even though Hochul believes “more guns” would “flood the streets” because of this decision, that’s not the case. This just means those who own guns now have the ability to carry them for self-defense. They don’t have an unnecessary burden to prove they actually “need” to have a concealed carry permit. The Second Amendment is sufficient enough of a reason.
