A07983: Prohibiting Ammunition Purchases After Failed Background Check or ERPO

What the Bill Would Do

Assembly Bill 7983 targets ammunition purchases by three categories of prohibited persons: those who have failed a background check, those prohibited from purchasing firearms under federal law (18 USC 922(g)), and those subject to a temporary or extreme risk protection order issued under CPLR Article 63-A^[1]. New York already requires background checks for ammunition purchases under the 2019 amendments to the SAFE Act, but this bill adds an explicit statutory prohibition on the sale itself — rather than relying solely on the background check system to catch prohibited persons at the point of sale.

The bill is designed to close a gap where a person who fails a firearms background check could potentially still acquire ammunition through separate transactions, including private sales or online purchases with in-state delivery.

Current Status

A07983 was advanced to third reading (Calendar 274) on February 26, 2026^[2]. The Senate companion S07236 remains referred to Codes. The bill needs both chambers to pass before reaching the Governor.

What to Watch

The ERPO component is particularly significant. New York's red flag law allows courts to issue temporary extreme risk protection orders that prohibit firearm possession, but the statute's explicit coverage of ammunition purchases is less clear. This bill would remove any ambiguity. Watch for the Senate to act on S07236, and for any amendments addressing how the prohibition interacts with the existing ammunition background check database maintained by the State Police.