New York: Waiting Period Bill On Senate Committee Agenda Next Week

February 20, 2026
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New York's Senate Codes Committee is gearing up for a pivotal clash next Tuesday, February 24, with a waiting period bill teed up on the agenda—a move that's got the 2A community on high alert. This isn't some dusty proposal gathering cobwebs; it's a direct assault on the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, disguised as common-sense safety. Proponents will trot out the usual tired stats on suicides and impulsive crimes, ignoring mountains of data showing waiting periods don't reduce violent crime rates (as evidenced by studies from the RAND Corporation and a 2021 FBI analysis of gun violence trends). In a state already choking under the SAFE Act's magazine bans, red-flag laws, and permit-to-purchase nightmares, this bill would pile on mandatory delays—likely 10 days or more—for law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. It's the epitome of Albany's incrementalism: chip away at immediacy until self-defense becomes a privilege for the patient and privileged. The implications ripple far beyond the Empire State. New York, with its 19 million residents and history of exporting judicial activism (hello, Bruen fallout), often serves as the progressive petri dish for national gun control experiments. If this passes the Codes Committee—chaired by the reliably anti-gun Michael Gianaris—it could fast-track to the full Senate, pressuring Governor Hochul to sign amid her reelection bid. For the 2A faithful, this is a call to arms: flood the public comment lines, rally at the Capitol, and support groups like the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association already mobilizing. We've seen waiting periods crumble under legal scrutiny post-Bruen (look at California's ongoing lawsuits), but complacency lets tyrants win. This bill isn't about safety; it's about control, turning a constitutional guarantee into a bureaucratic gauntlet. Nationally, it's a stark reminder that the post-Bruen landscape demands vigilance. While SCOTUS dismantled may-issue permitting, blue states like NY are pivoting to time-based hurdles to slow-walk compliance. The 2A community must counter with precision: highlight how waiting periods disproportionately harm women escaping abuse (needing guns now, not next week) and rural folks facing real threats without 911 response times. Share this agenda bombshell widely, contact your senators today, and gear up for the fight—because if New York falls, the dominoes won't stop tumbling. Stay armed, informed, and unapologetic.

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New York’s Senate Codes Committee is gearing up for a pivotal clash next Tuesday, February 24, with a waiting period bill teed up on the agenda—a move that’s got the 2A community on high alert. This isn’t some dusty proposal gathering cobwebs; it’s a direct assault on the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, disguised as common-sense safety. Proponents will trot out the usual tired stats on suicides and impulsive crimes, ignoring mountains of data showing waiting periods don’t reduce violent crime rates (as evidenced by studies from the RAND Corporation and a 2021 FBI analysis of gun violence trends). In a state already choking under the SAFE Act’s magazine bans, red-flag laws, and permit-to-purchase nightmares, this bill would pile on mandatory delays—likely 10 days or more—for law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. It’s the epitome of Albany’s incrementalism: chip away at immediacy until self-defense becomes a privilege for the patient and privileged.

The implications ripple far beyond the Empire State. New York, with its 19 million residents and history of exporting judicial activism (hello, Bruen fallout), often serves as the progressive petri dish for national gun control experiments. If this passes the Codes Committee—chaired by the reliably anti-gun Michael Gianaris—it could fast-track to the full Senate, pressuring Governor Hochul to sign amid her reelection bid. For the 2A faithful, this is a call to arms: flood the public comment lines, rally at the Capitol, and support groups like the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association already mobilizing. We’ve seen waiting periods crumble under legal scrutiny post-Bruen (look at California’s ongoing lawsuits), but complacency lets tyrants win. This bill isn’t about safety; it’s about control, turning a constitutional guarantee into a bureaucratic gauntlet.

Nationally, it’s a stark reminder that the post-Bruen landscape demands vigilance. While SCOTUS dismantled may-issue permitting, blue states like NY are pivoting to time-based hurdles to slow-walk compliance. The 2A community must counter with precision: highlight how waiting periods disproportionately harm women escaping abuse (needing guns now, not next week) and rural folks facing real threats without 911 response times. Share this agenda bombshell widely, contact your senators today, and gear up for the fight—because if New York falls, the dominoes won’t stop tumbling. Stay armed, informed, and unapologetic.

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