BILL NUMBER: S1315
SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to an excise tax on the sale of
ammunition; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to creating
a firearm violence intervention fund
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Adds a five to ten percent excise tax on ammunition, the revenue of
which will go to the firearm violence intervention fund.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 imposes an excise tax on ammunition, requires revenue to be
deposited in the firearm violence intervention fund, and describes the
means in which the tax shall be administered and collected.
Section 2 creates the firearm violence intervention fund and states that
monies from that fund shall go to community-based and hospital-based
violence intervention programs.
Section 3 states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2024, Governor Hochul shared new data showing a 26% reduction in
shooting incidents across the state. Similarly, NYPD Commissioner Tisch
reported a year-end decrease of 7.3% in shootings throughout New York
City. While these figures show promising progress towards a gun-violence
free New York, we must reinforce reduction measures to ensure positive
trends continue.
An important factor in achieving this goal is ensuring that there are
funds available to support individuals and organizations doing the work
on the ground to interrupt gun violence. This bill creates an excise tax
on ammunition with 100% of the revenue going towards gun violence inter-
vention. The goal of the tax is not to disincentivize the purchase of
ammunition but rather to put some of that money back into the community.
The revenue collected will help fund the work needed to address firearm
violence in this state.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S270 - Referred to Budget and Revenue
2023: S270 - Referred to Budget and Revenue
2022: S8415A - Referred to Budget and Revenue
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided that section one of
this act shall take effect on the first day of the quarterly sales tax
period, as set forth in subdivision (b) of section 1136 of the tax law,
next succeeding the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, and
shall apply in accordance with the applicable transitional provisions of
section 1106 of the tax law.