Press Release
Posted:
Washington – Today Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Vice Chair Kathleen Rice (NY-04) submitted an Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court in support of New York’s “proper cause” concealed carry law, the New York state law that passed over 100 years ago in 1911 which established the standard for acquiring a concealed carry permit. They were joined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and 129 Democrats in their brief to the court that cited the need for this law to help prevent gun violence. You can click here to read the full brief.
“Every day, gun violence continues to devastate countless communities across our nation and demand urgent action to save lives,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “While many cities and states have stepped up to enact critical gun safety measures proven to keep our communities safe, these laws now face a dangerous challenge in the Supreme Court that could erase much of our hard-won progress. House Democrats are proud to stand with the American people in supporting the ability of legislatures to enact these life-saving laws – and we remain unwavering in our commitment to the fight against the horrors of gun violence.”
“The Supreme Court is at a crossroads that could determine the future for gun violence prevention across our nation. This New York law is a critical part of keeping communities safe in that state and the same can be said for other states like California that have similar conceal-carry laws in place. If this law is overturned, it will set a dangerous precedent that will hurt our communities and we will be less safe from gun violence,” said Thompson. “That’s why I was proud to lead this Amicus Brief to the court in support of this law and why I’ll continue working to ensure we tackle the scourge of gun violence in communities across our nation.”
“For over 100 years, New York State’s ‘proper cause’ concealed carry law has protected public safety in a manner consistent with the Second Amendment,” said Rice. “There is no reason the Supreme Court should now overturn over a century’s worth of legal precedent in a decision that would undoubtedly make our communities less safe. I was proud to co-lead this Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court with Chairman Thompson in support of New York State’s law, and I will continue fighting this and any other dangerous NRA-backed efforts to put more guns on our streets.”
New York’s “proper cause” concealed carry law requires individuals who wish to carry a firearm with ammunition in public to first establish that they have “proper cause” to obtain such a permit. Chairman Thompson’s brief argues that overturning this law would set a dangerous precedent that would jeopardize common sense and longstanding gun violence laws across the country.