Times Square on a rainy day
A new state law went into effect Thursday that makes the famed Times Square tourist and theater area a “gun-free zone” along with government buildings, churches and synagogues, and public transit.
The new law was ratified over the summer after the Supreme Court struck down a century-old law that had restricted carrying a concealed handgun outside the home.
The law defines “sensitive” areas where carrying a gun is forbidden and people who carry a gun in a prohibited location could be charged with a felony.
The boundaries of the Times Square gun-free zone are defined for this measure as 42nd Street to 48th Street, from Sixth to Ninth avenues, and from 48th Street to 53rd Street from Sixth to Eighth avenue.
Anyone with a concealed carry license must, in gun-free areas, keep his weapon in a secured lockbox. A violation of this rule is a felony with jail time.
The law also calls for a strict new licensing process to obtain a concealed-carry permit and it requires background checks for ammunition sales. Gun owners are required to store firearms in safe places in their homes if people under the age of 18 reside there.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
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