Second Amendment Legal Update: June, 2021

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State.

For a complete PDF copy of this month's update, click here.

Schuyler County: Notice of Public Hearing, Proposed Local Law A, June 14, 2021

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that there has been introduced before the Legislature of the County of Schuyler, New York, on May 10, 2021, Local Law Intro. A of the Year 2021 titled “A Local Law Authorizing 12 And 13-Year-Old Licensed Hunters To Hunt Deer With A Firearm Or Crossbow During Hunting Season With The Supervision Of An Adult Licensed”.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the Schuyler County Legislature will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Local Law at 6:30 p.m. on June 14, 2021, in Room 120 at the Human Services Complex, 323 Owego Street, Montour Falls, NY 14865, at which time all persons interested will be heard.

The complete text of the proposed local law is reproduced below.

LOCAL LAW INTRO. A OF THE Y... by Steven Getman

National Safety Month: Schuyler County Scope To Make Free Gun Locks Available Through Partnership With County Attorney

Montour Falls, NY (May 24, 2021)—In recognition of June being National Safety Month, the Schuyler County Chapter of Shooters Committee on Political Education (SCOPE) in conjunction with the Office of Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman, is again giving away free cable-style gun locks to Schuyler County families.

The locks can be obtained from the County Attorney’s Office by calling 607.535.8121 during normal business hours and scheduling a pickup time. One lock will be available per household and will be provided on a “first come, first serve” basis. Supplies are limited.

“We are pleased to have the Schuyler County Attorney’s Office as a partner in this National Safety Month program” said Daneen Phillips, Schuyler County SCOPE Secretary. “The mission of SCOPE is to educate the public on the importance of our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, as well as to make every effort to educate anti-gun politicians. We can help accomplish this by promoting responsible voluntary gun safety measures for gun owners that do not conflict with the Second Amendment.”

“Partnering with County Attorney Getman allows SCOPE to participate in a countywide effort to promote gun safety as a critical part of home safety and increase awareness of just one of Governor Cuomo’s many gun laws. We are 100% membership funded and made up of concerned gun owners and conservation clubs across New York State.”

“In particular, this year, we want to focus on getting the message out to women gun owners and their families,” Phillips said. “Female gun ownership has been on a firm ascent and women are considered the fastest-growing segment in the gun-ownership population.”

According to Getman, the giveaway will help ensure that gun owners are in compliance with New York’s strict firearms storage laws, which require them to lock up their firearms while living in a home with someone under the age of 16.

“We encourage county residents to pick up a free lock so that they can securely store their firearm,” said Getman. “The locks fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns. The cable is threaded through the weapon and blocks the barrel or the use of ammunition. It’s secured by a padlock and key.”

“We want to help minimize demands on health care workers and first respondents by emphasizing home safety, and firearm safety in particular, so together we can prevent accidents,” Getman said. “The goal is to prevent a young child or any other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in the home.”

Phillips and Getman noted that the locks have been donated by SCOPE and, therefore, there is no county charge to the taxpayers for this service.

Observed annually in June, National Safety Month highlights leading causes of preventable injury and death on a national scale, providing the latest information and resources in an effort to help keep more people safe. Hunting and gun rights groups, such as SCOPE, typically emphasize gun safety as a critical part of home safety.

SCOPE is a non-partisan statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to educating the public about firearm ownership, Second Amendment rights and legislation. The Schuyler County chapter’s meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm in January, March, May, October and as necessary at the Montour Falls Moose Lodge, 2096 Co Rd 14, Montour Falls, NY 14865.

The Schuyler County Attorney is the legal advisor to the county legislature, county administrator and other county officials. In addition, that office prosecutes family court cases of child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency and other civil matters on behalf of county officials.

Welcome to Medicare program available to Schuyler County residents

Schuyler County residents can learn about Medicare, and all its parts, to assist them in their initial enrollment decisions.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) National Technical Assistance Center, is hosting a national, online “Welcome to Medicare” for people getting ready to retire, new to Medicare, and/or their caregivers on June 23, 2021, from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. ET.

There will be presentations, pre-recorded educational videos, materials available for download, and virtual exhibits.

To register, click here.

Schuyler Officials Support Proposed Youth Hunting Law

Sheriff William Yessman, Undersheriff Breck Spaulding, County Clerk Theresa Philbin and County Attorney Steven Getman have all endorsed a Local Law that approves a pilot program in Schuyler County allowing 12 and 13 year old youths to hunt deer through 2023.

The Resolution and Local Law are on the agenda for introduction at the Schuyler County Legislative Meeting at 6:30 pm on Monday May 10, 2021 in Montour Falls.

The proposed local law finds that “deer hunting is a valued tradition for many Schuyler County families, providing quality food to county residents and reducing the negative impacts of overabundant deer populations on our agriculture, forests, and communities.”

Under the proposed law, youth hunters aged 12-13 will now be allowed to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter. Currently, young hunters that are 12 or 13 years old can already hunt big game using archery equipment and can hunt small game with a firearm; however, until now, New York had been the only state to not allow these young hunters to hunt big game.

Second Amendment Legal Update: May, 2021

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State.

For a complete PDF copy of this month's update, click here.

Schuyler County Commemorates Saturday May 1 as “Law Day”

The Schuyler County Legislature has recognized as the Law Day 2021 theme “Advancing the Rule of Law Now.”

The legislature passed a resolution at its April 12, 2021 meeting, recognizing “Law Day” as an occasion of public acknowledgement of our Nation’s heritage of justice, liberty, and equality under the law. The resolution was submitted to the legislature by Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman.

“The Rule of Law rests upon the idea that no one is so important as to be above the law and conversely no one is so insignificant to be beneath the law,” Getman wrote. “The United States was founded on the principle that adherence to the Rule of Law expands, rather than limits, the opportunities for freedom.”

In passing the resolution, the legislature found that “promoting public understanding of the roots of our freedom are an important component in the civic education of the citizens of the United States, the State of New York and the County of Schuyler.”

The American Bar Association selects an annual theme for each Law Day. Law Day is an annual commemoration first held in 1957 when the American Bar Association envisioned a special national day to mark our nation’s commitment to the rule of law. The following year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Law Day Proclamation. Law Day was made official in 1961 when Congress issued a joint resolution designating May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day.

A copy of Schuyler County’s resolution “Recognizing and Commemorating May 1, 2021 as ‘Law Day’ in Schuyler County” is available below.

SCHUYLER COUNTY LEGISLATURE... by Steven Getman

New York State extends availability of Veterans Treatment Courts

New York State officials have enacted legislation extending access to Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) throughout the state.

These courts connect justice-involved veterans to appropriate services in a court setting, surrounded by an interdisciplinary team. These include the judge, court staff, prosecutors, treatment/service providers, defense attorneys, probation, law enforcement, volunteer veteran peer mentors, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Services, all of whom work collaboratively to help veterans.

Studies have indicated that VTCs reduce recidivism and alcohol and drug use and promote positive life changes that allows veterans to re-enter their communities in a positive and meaningful way, often with assistance of VA therapies.

Prior to this legislation, there were only approximately 33 VTCs in 25 counties. Due to the lack of a VTC in over half of the counties of the state, about one-third of New York veterans lacked access to a VTC.

The new law authorizes the transfer of cases from jurisdictions without VTCs to adjacent counties with VTCs and requires the chief administrative judge to establish new VTCs, to the extent practicable.

FEMA to Help Pay Funeral Costs for COVID-19-related Deaths

In April, FEMA will begin providing financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020 for deaths related to coronavirus (COVID-19).

To be eligible for COVID-19 funeral assistance:

• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after Jan. 20, 2020 for a death attributed to COVID-19.
• If multiple individuals contributed toward funeral expenses, they should apply under a single application as applicant and co-applicant. FEMA will also consider documentation from other individuals not listed as the applicant and co-applicant who may have incurred funeral expenses as part of the registration for the deceased individual.
• An applicant may apply for multiple deceased individuals.
• The COVID-19-related death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
• This assistance is limited to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application.
• Funeral assistance is intended to assist with expenses for funeral services and interment or cremation.

For more information, click here.

Second Amendment Legal Update: April, 2021

A monthly update, prepared for the Schuyler County Chapter of S.C.O.P.E. NY, a statewide 501(c)4 organization dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment rights for the residents of New York State.

For a complete PDF copy of this month's update, click here.