Senate bill · S7236 (2025-26)

Prohibits the purchase of ammunition if such purchaser failed a background check

New York State Senate

Same as A7983, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Latest action Oct 21, 2026

Sponsor: Michael Gianaris (Democratic/Working Families)

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From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 24, 2026. About our data

Summary

Prohibits the purchase of ammunition if such purchaser failed a background check, is prohibited by federal law or is subject to a temporary or extreme risk protection order issued pursuant to article sixty-three-A of the civil practice law and rules.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Penal Law.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To amend the penal law to require ammunition background checks to be denied if the prospective purchaser cannot lawfully possess a rifle or shotgun under federal or New York State law.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Signed into law.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Committee

Codes · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Codes · New York State Senate.

Your position on this bill

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Cosponsors

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Read on NY Senate

Democratic12

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The sponsor's argument

Why Michael Gianaris says this is needed

This bill would amend Penal Law § 400.03 to require ammunition back- ground checks to be denied if the prospective purchaser cannot lawfully possess a rifle or shotgun under federal or New York State law. Pursuant to Penal Law § 400.03, the Division of State Police is required to conduct background checks for prospective ammunition purchases. Under current law, the only ammunition possession prohibitors are those that exist under federal law, 18 U.S.C. 922(g). This means that ammunition purchases are only screened against the federal criteria for possessing firearms and ammunition, and not the additional New York-specific prohibitors that apply to firearms. These additional state law prohibitors include instances where a person is subject to an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO, or "red flag" orders) or has been convicted of a "serious offense" as listed in Penal Law § 265.00(17). This bill would align New York State laws for who is permit- ted to take possession of both guns and ammunition, so that the same criteria is used to screen purchasers of guns and ammunition.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 19, 2026Result: passed
(48) (11) (0) (4)
Vote: Committee vote · Codes
Senate CodesMar 24, 2026Result: passed
(11) (2) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Codes
Senate CodesMay 20, 2025Result: passed
(11) (2) (0) (0)

Full history

Oct 21, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Senate
Oct 21, 2026
Signed
SIGNED CHAP.316
NY Senate
May 28, 2026
Ordered to Third Reading CAL.274
ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.274
NY Assembly
May 28, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
May 28, 2026
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR A7983
NY Assembly

Show full history (16 earlier events)

May 19, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 19, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 19, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
Mar 26, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Mar 25, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Mar 24, 2026
1ST Report CAL.617
1ST REPORT CAL.617
NY Senate
Feb 26, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading CAL.274
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.274
NY Assembly
Feb 25, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
Jun 13, 2025
In committee
COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
May 22, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 21, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1255
1ST REPORT CAL.1255
NY Senate
Apr 16, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
Apr 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Senate

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.