Lawmakers Ask Governor to Extend Pistol Permit Renewal Deadline

January 9th, 2018

Three state legislators from Western New York are calling on Gov. Cuomo to extend the Jan. 31 SAFE Act deadline for renewing pistol permits that are more than five years old. After that date, they will be invalid.

State Senator Robert Ortt (R – North Tonawanda), Assemblyman Angelo Morinello (R-Niagara Falls) and Assemblyman Michael Norris (R – Lockport) said that they are concerned that pistol license holders who fail meet this new legal requirement can be prosecuted.

They said that a lack of outreach by the state has led to low compliance. As of this week, 21,549 of 50,000 affected permits had been renewed in Erie County, and 9,400 of 28,000 had been recertified in Niagara County.

A spokesperson for the State Police said that the law requires one year’s notice to permit holders, and the state sent 372,000 permit holders letter in January 2017. Pistol permits can be renewed through the State Police website, with a paper form available on the website, at State Police stations and at some county clerks’ offices.