New Agreements With Long Island, Western New York Operators Mean 26 Companies Hosting 55 Gun Shows Have Adopted Schneiderman’s Model Gun Show Procedures
Schneiderman: Proud To Highlight Outstanding Cooperation With Gun Show Operators To Ensure Firearms Stay Out Of The Wrong Hands
ROCHESTER – After a tour of one of the largest gun shows in the State of New York, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that three more gun show operators have agreed to follow the Model Gun Show Procedures developed by the Attorney General's Office to promote uniform gun show operations across the state. As a result of these new voluntary agreements, 26 operators responsible for at least 55 gun shows in New York this year will implement model procedures designed to ensure that legally required background checks are completed on every sale of a firearm.
Attorney General Schneiderman announced the new agreements following a tour of the Rochester Gun Show operated by Empire State Arms Collectors Association, his first visit to a gun show since taking office. During the tour, the Attorney General was briefed by the show’s operators on the implementation of the Model Gun Show Procedures, including a rule that ensures all guns brought into the gun show by private sellers are tagged so that, upon exiting, the operator can determine if guns were sold and that a proper background check was performed.
“I am proud to stand together with the organizers of today’s Rochester gun show to highlight our shared commitment to keeping deadly firearms out of the hands of felons, terrorists, and those who are dangerously mentally ill," said Attorney General Schneiderman. "The cooperation we have seen shows that public safety does not need to be divisive or a partisan issue. Gun show operators around the state have voluntarily agreed to adopt simple procedures that increase the safety of New Yorkers without infringing upon the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. I look forward to continuing to work with them to accomplish our shared goal of making our communities safer.”
“Responsible gun owners, gun show operators, and the Attorney General all want the same thing. We want to protect our communities and families by keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals, which is why we applaud Attorney General Schneiderman’s efforts to work with us to adopt these voluntary model protocols,” said Bernie Lusk, President of the Empire State Arms Collectors Association. “These cooperative agreements are common sense, voluntary agreements that help operators implement state law without impeding our businesses. But more importantly, they show that it is possible to work collaboratively and find common ground on gun safety issues.”
The most recent signees include B&C Sporting LLC of Long Island, which holds two gun shows annually; Little Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., and Sons of the American Legion, Squadron #531. The process is ongoing, with the goal of universal adoption of the procedures in the state by the end of this year.
Attorney General Schneiderman’s agreements are with operators who run gun shows in Akron, Albany, Alexander, Allegany, Batavia, Caledonia, Canandaigua, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Clayton, Clifton Park, Clyde, Elmira, Fillmore, Geneseo, Great Valley, Hamburg, Hauppauge, Lake George, Lisle, Little Valley, Middletown, North Geneva, Oneonta, Port Crane, Rochester, Salamanca, Sanitaria Springs, Saratoga Springs, Sidney, Springville, Syracuse, Unadilla, Wales Center, Watkins Glen, Westfield, and West Potsdam.
The development of the Model Procedures grew out of Attorney General Schneiderman’s 2011 investigation of gun shows around the state. This investigation uncovered the frequent occurrence of private sales without background checks. Following that discovery, the Attorney General's Office and several gun show operators worked together to develop the Model Procedures, which balance the rights of the sportsmen and gun collectors with the need to protect the public from the sale of guns to people who cannot pass a background check, also known as a "National Instant Criminal Background Check System" or "NICS.” The Model Procedures require operators to do the following:
Post conspicuous signs throughout the shows, and give written notice to all dealers that New York State law requires that a National Instant Criminal Background Check be completed before the transfer of a gun at a gun show, including on the grounds of the show.
Require that all guns brought into the gun show by private sellers are tagged so that, upon exiting, the operator can determine if the guns were sold and a NICS was performed.
Provide access to a dealer who is authorized to conduct a NICS at cost.
·The dealer performing the NICS shall complete and file the ATF Form 4473 and maintain the forms for inspection by law enforcement agencies for ten years, per the Gun Show Law.
Limit the number of access doors at the show so that sellers and buyers have to enter and exit through an area where the NICS procedures can be monitored.
Use reasonable means to prevent illegal gun sales outside of the building, including the parking lot.
Alert local law enforcement that a show will be held in their area, request periodic patrols in the parking lots to deter illegal sales, and call them if illegal sales are observed or suspected.
During today’s tour, Attorney General Schneiderman visited the station where firearms are tagged before entering the gun show, witnessed a background check procedure, and saw the station where purchased firearms are inspected to ensure a background check has been completed before the purchaser can remove the gun from the show.
The 26 gun show operators that have agreed to adopt Attorney General Schneiderman’s Model Gun Show Procedures are:
Alabama Hunt Club, Inc.
B&C Sporting LLC
BLG Auction Services
Bontrager Real Estate and Auction Services
Clayton Rotary Club
Daniel A. Carter Auction Co., Inc.
Empire State Arms Collectors Association, Inc.
Goldfuss & Assoc.
Hessney Auction Company, LTD
Little Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
Mid Atlantic Arms Collectors
Mid-Hudson Promotions, Inc.
Mid State Arms Collectors & Shooters Club, Inc.
NEACA Inc.
New York State Arms Collectors Association, Inc.
Niagara Frontier Collectors, Inc
Niagara Frontier Gun Shows, Inc
Newmart Promotions, Inc.
RG Mason Auction
Roy Teitsworth, Inc.
Sons of the American Legion, Squadron #531
TB Auction, Hunt Real Estate
York-Penn Shows, Inc.
Westchester Collectors, Inc.
West Potsdam Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
Williston Auctions, Inc.
For more information on the Model Procedures between Attorney General Schneiderman and gun show operators around New York State, visit: www.ag.ny.gov.
Groups audience:
Rochester Regional Office