Bill > A00544

This bill modifies existing criminal procedure law to enhance protections for victims of family violence by requiring police officers to take temporary custody of firearms under specific circumstances. When responding to a family offense report, officers must now take custody of firearms if: the victim confirms threats on a standardized domestic incident report (DIR), the victim answers affirmatively to lethality assessment questions, or an officer reasonably believes removing the weapon is necessary to protect the victim or prevent further violence. The bill extends the mandatory weapon retention period from 48 hours to 120 hours (five days), during which time the firearm and any associated carry license will be held by law enforcement. After this period, if no legal impediments exist (such as a protective order or pending criminal charges), the weapon and license may be returned to the owner. The primary goal of this legislation is to provide a cooling-off period and reduce the risk of violence in domestic dispute situations by temporarily removing firearms from potentially dangerous scenarios.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A544