Gun Owners Face Deadline to File Exemption Form

Joseph Byrne Thursday, May 16, 2013

Beginning Wednesday, gun owners in New York who do not want their license information available to the public face a deadline to file an exemption form with the local licensing authorities.

Exemption from the Freedom of Information Law was included in the January legislation that tightened up the gun laws after the Newtown shootings. The exemption form is available online and must be given to the licensing authority. If the exemption isn’t filed by the deadline, it can still be filed in the future.

This exemption is a reaction to the decision by a White Plains newspaper that published a map showing information about gun owners in Westchester and Rockland counties after the shootings in Newtown. The county clerk in neighboring Putnam County refused the request, and some lawmakers said that it put those gun owners at risk of robberies and/or assaults.

Exemptions can be denied, based on the answers to the questions on the form. Those eligible are active or retired law enforcement officers, people who are currently under a valid order of protection, and current and former witnesses and jurors in criminal cases. In addition, gun owners and their relatives can also request an exemption if they believe their safety is in danger or if they would be harassed if the records were disclosed.

joeb@longislandyellowpages.com

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