Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138 Filed 11/26/13 Page 1 of 2 STATE OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN Attorney General Via ECF Writer s Direct Dial: (212) 416-8426 November 26, 2013 KENT T. STAUFFER Executive Deputy Attorney General Division of State Counsel LISA R. DELL Assistant Attorney General in Charge Litigation Bureau The Honorable William M. Skretny Chief United States District Judge Western District of New York 2 Niagara Square Buffalo, New York 14202 Re: NYSRPA et al. v. Cuomo et al., W.D.N.Y. Case No. 13-cv-00291-WMS Your Honor: This Office represents defendants Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York; Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General of the State of New York; and Joseph A. D Amico, Superintendent of the New York State Police (collectively, the State Defendants ) in the above-referenced action. We write in response to Plaintiffs November 22, 2013 letter to the Court (Docket No. 137) in order to correct certain factual errors in that letter regarding the registration and transfer deadlines for assault weapons and large-capacity magazines that were established by New York s Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, 2013 N.Y. Laws, ch. 1 (the SAFE Act ). The State Defendants have no objection to Plaintiffs request for oral argument on the dispositive motions currently before Your Honor. Should the Court desire oral argument, we would propose that a telephone conference be held at your Honor s convenience, so that a mutually agreeable date for such argument may be set. The Court should be aware, however, that Plaintiffs assertions regarding the impending registration and transfer deadlines for assault weapons and large-capacity magazines are not accurate. Contrary to what Plaintiffs state in their November 22 letter, under the provisions of the SAFE Act, those who lawfully possessed assault weapons prior to January 15, 2013 (the law s effective date) have until April 15, 2014 to register these firearms with the State Police. Penal Law 265.00(22)(g)(v), 400.00(16-a); (Declaration of Kevin Bruen, dated June 20, 2013 120 Broadway, New York, New York 10271-0332 Tel.: (212) 416-8610 Fax: (212) 416-6009 (Not For Service of Papers) http://www.ag.ny.gov
Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138 Filed 11/26/13 Page 2 of 2 Hon. William M. Skretny, U.S.D.J. November 26, 2013 Page 2 (Docket No. 66) ( Bruen Decl. ) 27). 1 And owners of large-capacity magazines have until January 15, 2014 to sell their magazines out of state or through an authorized in-state dealer, to transfer the magazines to law enforcement, to responsibly discard them in accordance with state law, or to permanently modify the magazines so they no longer have a capacity of more than ten rounds. Penal Law 265.00(22)(h), (23); (Bruen Decl. 4, 32); see Penal Law 265.20(a)(1), (10). 2 We look forward to discussing these and other issues with the Court. Respectfully submitted, /s/ William J. Taylor, Jr. William J. Taylor, Jr. Assistant Attorney General cc: All Counsel on Attached Service List 1 See http://www.governor.ny.gov/nysafeact/gun-owners ( Q: By when do I have to register my weapon? A: All assault weapons must be registered by April 15, 2014. ). 2 See http://www.governor.ny.gov/nysafeact/gun-owners ( Q: How does the SAFE Act impact magazines? A: Since 1994, magazines sold in New York could contain up to 10 rounds. This continues to be true today. You may buy, sell, and possess any magazine that can hold up to 10 rounds, regardless of when it was manufactured. If you have a magazine that can contain more than 10 rounds, you have until January 15, 2014 to permanently modify the magazine so that it holds no more than ten rounds, responsibly discard it, transfer it to a law enforcement agency or officer, or sell it to a dealer or an out of state purchaser. (emphasis added)).
Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138-1 Filed 11/26/13 Page 1 of 4 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK NEW YORK STATE RIFLE AND PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC.; WESTCHESTER COUNTY FIREARMS OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.; SPORTSMEN'S ASSOCIATION FOR FIREARMS EDUCATION, INC.; NEW YORK STATE AMATEUR TRAPSHOOTING ASSOCIATION, INC.; BEDELL CUSTOM; BEIKIRCH AMMUNITION CORPORATION; BLUELINE TACTICAL & POLICE SUPPLY, LLC; BATAVIA MARINE & SPORTING SUPPLY; WILLIAM NOJAY, THOMAS GALVIN, and ROGER HORVATH, 13-cv-00291-WMS Plaintiffs, -v.- ANDREW M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of New York; ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN, Attorney General of the State of New York; JOSEPH A. D'AMICO, Superintendent of the New York State Police; LAWRENCE FRIEDMAN, District Attorney for Genesee County; and GERALD J. GILL, Chief of Police for the Town of Lancaster, New York, Defendants. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on November 26, 2013, I electronically filed the foregoing Letter of William J. Taylor, Jr., dated November 26, 2013, with the Clerk of the District Court using its CM/ECF system and thereby serving Plaintiffs counsel, counsel for Defendant Gill, and counsel for all amici curiae and proposed amici curiae in this action as follows: Brian T. Stapleton, Esq. GOLDBERG SEGALLA LLP 11 Martine Avenue, Suite 750 White Plains, New York 10606-1934 Attorney for Plaintiffs
Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138-1 Filed 11/26/13 Page 2 of 4 Stephen P. Halbrook, Esq. 3925 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 403 Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Attorney for Plaintiffs Kevin M. Kearney, Esq. Robert J. Fluskey, Jr., Esq. HODGSON RUSS LLP The Guaranty Building, Suite 100 140 Pearl Street Buffalo, New York 14202-4040 Attorneys for Defendant Gill John G. Schmidt, Jr., Esq. Nicolas J. Rotsko, Esq. PHILLIPS LYTLE LLP 3400 HSBC Center Buffalo, New York 14203 Attorneys for National Rifle Association of America, Inc. Charles J. Cooper, Esq. David H. Thompson, Esq. COOPER & KIRK, PLLC 1523 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 Attorneys for National Rifle Association of America, Inc. Sheldon W. Boyce, Jr., Esq. BRENNA, BRENNA & BOYCE, PLLC 31 East Main Street, Suite 2000 Rochester, NY 14203 Attorney for New York State Sheriffs Association, Inc. et al. Carl D. Michel, Esq. Michel & Associates, P.C. 180 East Ocean Boulevard, Suite 200 Long Beach, California 90802 Attorney for New York State Sheriffs Association, Inc. et al. Terrence M. Connors, Esq. CONNORS & VILARDO, LLP 1000 Liberty Building 424 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14202 Attorney for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence et al. 2
Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138-1 Filed 11/26/13 Page 3 of 4 Alan R. Friedman, Esq. Mark T. Ciani, Esq. KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP 575 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10022 Attorneys for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence et al. Jonathan K. Baum, Esq. KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP 525 West Monroe Street, Suite 1900 Chicago, Illinois 60661 Attorneys for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence et al. Colin G. Garry, Esq. SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, New York 10019 Attorneys for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence et al. Kristin Graham Koehler, Esq. James Edward Mendenhall, Esq. Lisa E. Jones, Esq. SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP 1501 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20005 Attorneys for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence et al. Matthew J. Kelly Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP 13 Columbia Circle Albany, NY 12203 Attorney for Senator Kathleen A. Marchione Richard A. Grimm, III Magavern, Magavern & Grimm 1100 Rand Building 14 Lafayette Square Buffalo, NY 14203 Attorneys for Pink Pistols 3
Case 1:13-cv-00291-WMS Document 138-1 Filed 11/26/13 Page 4 of 4 ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN Attorney General of the State of New York Attorney for the State Defendants s/william J. Taylor, Jr. BY: WILLIAM J. TAYLOR, JR. Assistant Attorney General of Counsel 120 Broadway, 24th Floor New York, New York 10271 Telephone: (212) 416-8426 william.taylor@ag.ny.gov 4