Westchester Legislators Ban Gun Shows, Will Be Vetoed By Astorino

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester County legislators voted 9-8 to ban gun shows on county property, but there aren’t enough votes to override a veto.

Seven Republicans and one Conservative Party member of the 17-member Board of Legislators will likely oppose a vote to override, the Journal News said. Twelve votes would be needed.

The Gun and Knife Show, scheduled for Jan. 21-22 in the County Center, will go forward, County Executive Robert Astorino said, because he said he would veto the legislation, according to FIOS1 News.

About 6,000 people are expected to attend the gun show.

Republican legislators have offered a compromise based on guidelines recommended by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

The procedures their legislation would require are:

1. 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.
2. Post conspicuous signs throughout the shows that give written notice to all dealers and lay out in online promotional materials that makes clear that New York State law requires that a National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) must be completed prior to all firearm sales or transfers, and it’s a crime not to do so.
3. Inform all gun show staff of the requirements of posting signs and conducting NICS and provide access to a dealer who is authorized to conduct a NICS at cost.
4. 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.
5. Use reasonable means, including police patrols, to prevent illegal gun sales outside of the building, including the parking lot, and have law enforcement at gun show to watch for illegal sales.

Board Vice Chairman Jim Maisano, R-New Rochelle, said in a prepared statement that the proposed law would give the county the strongest gun show regulations in the state.

“We’ve taken great care to write legislation that protects the constitutional rights of sportsmen, hunters and other lawful gun owners, while ensuring that all gun transactions and acquisitions that take place at gun shows in Westchester County follow the highest safety and security protocols,” he said.

Patch file photo.