S00626: Proposed Bill Would Add Ammunition to NY's Prohibited-Person Purchase Ban

Senate Bill S00626, introduced on January 8, 2025 by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, would close a gap in New York's existing criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon statute by explicitly adding ammunition to the list of items that convicted felons and other prohibited persons may not purchase or acquire. The bill advanced to Third Reading in the Senate on April 27, 2026.^[1]

What the Bill Would Do

S00626 amends Penal Law Section 265.17, "Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon," to insert "or ammunition" throughout the statute. Currently, Section 265.17 prohibits three categories of conduct: (1) a person prohibited from possessing firearms purchasing or acquiring a firearm, rifle, or shotgun; (2) any person purchasing a firearm, rifle, or shotgun on behalf of a prohibited person; and (3) any person disposing of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun to a prohibited person. Under S00626, each of those three categories would be expanded to cover ammunition in addition to firearms, rifles, and shotguns. The offense remains a Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison.^[2]

Current Law Gap

Under both federal law (18 U.S.C. sec. 922(g)) and New York law, prohibited persons may not possess firearms. Federal law also prohibits convicted felons from receiving or possessing ammunition. However, New York's specific criminal purchase-and-disposal statute did not expressly enumerate ammunition as a prohibited item for straw-purchase and disposal purposes. The bill aligns New York's criminal purchase statute with the underlying possession prohibition by adding ammunition explicitly.

Who Is Affected

The bill affects persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction or other legal disability, persons who knowingly purchase or acquire firearms or ammunition on behalf of such prohibited individuals, and persons who knowingly dispose of firearms or ammunition to prohibited individuals. It does not change the definition of a "prohibited person" or alter any existing licensing or possession requirements for lawful firearms owners.

Legislative Status

S00626 was introduced in January 2025, referred to the Committee on Codes, and advanced to Third Reading in the Senate on April 27, 2026. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment. The Senate passed S00626 on June 9, 2025 and May 29, 2026. Its last recorded action was referral to the Assembly Committee on Codes on May 29, 2026. It has not been signed into law.