NEW YORK — The New York City Council's Public Safety Committee is holding a hearing Tuesday on legislation that seeks to define the boundaries of Times Square in order to designate it as a"sensitive area" free from the concealed carry of guns.
The legislation comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down a New York law that had restricted the concealed carry of handguns in public to only those with a"proper cause." "Because the State of New York issues public-carry licenses only when an applicant demonstrates a special need for self-defense, we conclude that the State's licensing regime violates the Constitution," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the decision.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law in July in response to the court decision, which included making the concealed carry of guns in"sensitive locations" illegal. According to the legislation,"sensitive locations" could include airports and public transportation, entertainment venues, bars and restaurants, houses of worship and Times Square, among others.There are two proposals set to be discussed at the hearing, according to a draft of the bill.