NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Times Square is home to a variety of costumed characters and souvenir shops, but every block has a new sign announcing that the area is a "gun free zone" as a new state law that bans concealed firearms in so-called "sensitive locations" goes into effect Thursday.
"Never thought from the days of watching cowboy movies as a child [that leaving] your gun at the door would become a reality in the state of New York," Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday at a press briefing joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
Times Square may be the most high-profile of New York's new "sensitive areas" where no one will be allowed to carry a gun.
The boundaries of the "gun free zone," as defined by the City Council, make up a wide rectangle spanning 34 blocks between Sixth and Ninth avenues.
But Sewell said that not much is changing in terms of enforcement.
"If there is a concern or report of someone in one of the sensitive areas or restricted area with a firearm, we will dispatch our officers to that location," she said.
Still, if you are found with a gun inside the boundary it could mean four years behind bars.
The same goes for a litany of other areas now deemed sensitive like schools, parks and entertainment venues.
Lawmakers sought to rewrite the rules following the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 6-3 ruling in June that struck down a New York state law and loosened the right to carry a concealed firearm in public for self-defense. Specifically, the court threw out a "proper cause" requirement that forced applicants to prove they had a need for self-defense.
Hochul said at the at the briefing that those looking to get a concealed carry permit are looking at a host of new rules.
"We believe that people who now will be able to secure these under the ruling should go have a more comprehensive background check and an in-person interview," the governor said.
Under the law, applicants for a concealed carry permit will have to complete 16 hours of classroom training and two hours of live-fire exercises.
Applicants also will have to provide a list of social media accounts for the past three years as part of a "character and conduct" review. The requirement was added because shooters have sometimes dropped hints of violence online before they opened fire on people.
The list of prohibited spaces for carrying guns has drawn criticism from advocates who say it's so extensive it will make it difficult for people with permits to move about in public. People carrying a gun could go into private business only with permission, such as a sign posted on the window.
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One lawsuit challenging provisions of the law argued the rules make it hard for license holders to leave home without violating the law. A federal judge is expected to rule soon on a motion challenging multiple provisions of the law, which was filed on behalf of a Schenectady resident who holds a license to carry.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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