Sponsor · State Senator, District 48 · Democratic/Working Families
Senate bill · S9215 (2025-26)
Relates to certain types of imitation guns
New York State Senate
Same as A10701, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Relates to certain types of imitation guns, including air rifles, pellet guns, and "B-B" guns.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the General Business Law.
Your position on this bill
Not chosen yet
Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- 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, Consumer Affairs and Protection · New York State Assembly.
Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
Section one updates the definition of "imitation weapon." It makes clear that air rifles, pellet guns, and BB guns must be brightly colored and meet the same visual safety standards that already apply to imitation guns. Section two raises the minimum age to buy a paint pellet gun from sixteen to eighteen. It also requires someone to be eighteen to buy any other type of air gun covered by the bill. Section three expands the responsibilities of gun industry members. It requires them to take reasonable steps to prevent imitation weapons from being made to closely replicate real firearms. It also updates the defi- nition of "gun industry member" to include businesses that manufacture, sell, distribute, import, or market imitation weapons. Section four brings imitation weapons under the state's firearm public nuisance law. That means the same rules that apply to the sale and marketing of firearms would also apply to imitation weapons. ** The A-print clarifies that air guns, air rifles, pellet guns, and B-B guns do not have to be plugged/capped and adds a new safe harbor provision for the personal use and possession of any covered air rifles, pellet guns, or B-B guns lawfully acquired prior to the effective date. **
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
The sponsor's argument
Why Rachel May says this is needed
Realistic looking air powered weapons pose a deadly and significant danger to children if mistaken for an actual firearm. In New York State, and across America, adults and children have lost their lives due to this confusion - and a lack of common-sense safety precautions. The fact is more can be done to limit and even eliminate these avoidable circum- stances. While state law prohibits the sale of realistic looking "toy" weapons, there is a carveout for 'air rifle, pellet gun, or "B-B" gun'. This carveout leaves many realistic- looking imitation guns accessible to children. These imitation guns with realistic markings and design are becoming harder and harder to distinguish by law enforcement officers, who must make split-second decisions to determine whether a weapon is real or not. The Washington Post's Police Shootings Database, which aims to track the specifics of all police- involved firearm-related deaths since 2015, reports that more than 300 individuals were shot and killed nationwide by police while carrying imitation weapons. In New York, the story is unfortunately the same. The Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation ("OSI"), is charged with investigating and, where appropriate, prosecuting all police killings in the state. In many of these investigations, a realistic looking air powered weapon played a significant role in a civilian death, with some victims as young as children. OSI's 2024 annual report notes that six people lost their lives over the three years, from September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024, as a result of police mistaking an imitation weapon for a real gun. In one particularly heartrending case, police shot and killed a thirteen-year-old boy who had fled war-tom Myanmar and who happened to be carrying a realistic looking imitation gun. Imitation guns are commonly available at retail stores without identifi- cation, and continue to pose a real danger to consumers, law enforce- ment, and the public at large. Closing the loophole in state law will enable police officers and others to quickly distinguish air powered weapons from actual firearms.
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.
Full history
- May 14, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Consumer Affairs and Protection
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
- May 4, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Consumer Protection
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate
- Apr 21, 2026
Reference Changed to Consumer Protection
REFERENCE CHANGED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate
- Mar 20, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
- Feb 17, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Senate
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data
Read the record
- Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.