New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she will convene an extraordinary session of the Legislature on Friday to consider enshrining abortion access in the state’s constitution and to enact a package of gun safety measures.
The actions are in response to recent Supreme Court decisions to strike down Roe v. Wade and New York’s concealed-carry law.
“Recent Supreme Court rulings have threatened the rights of New Yorkers to make decisions about their own bodies and our right to protect New Yorkers from gun violence, but we refuse to stand idly by, and we must act,” Hochul said in a statement.
The abortion legislation was not yet released Friday morning, but lawmakers may take up a previous bill known as the “Equality Amendment” which aims to prohibit discrimination that results from the actions of government, according to the bill justification memo. It would expand the list of classes protected by the state’s constitution, and bar discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability and sex, including pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
If approved by the state Senate and Assembly, the measure will still need approval by another session of the Legislature. If that happens in 2023, the question could go on the ballot as soon as next fall.
The state Senate and Assembly are set to vote on the package of gun laws Friday, which Gov. Hochul helped negotiate and said she would sign quickly. The package would require 15 hours of in-person training for those seeking concealed-carry licenses and background checks for ammunition for guns that require a permit. Private properties, such as restaurants, bars, and businesses would by default be no-carry areas, as would mass transit, schools, courts, government buildings, places where children gather, health facilities, polling places, and educational institutions. The legislation is almost certain to draw a lawsuit.
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down New York’s concealed-carry law comes on the heels of mass shootings throughout the state, including one that left 10 dead at a grocery store in Buffalo, and another incident on a New York City subway in which 10 people were shot and 13 were injured.
Other actions have been taken to address the wave of gun violence in the state. On Tuesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced two lawsuits against “ghost gun” manufacturers and distributors.