Local attorney involved as judges hear gun case against NY’s concealed carry law

New York, New York (WWNY) - Gun Owners of America’s case against New York State’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act was heard in front of an appeals panel in Manhattan on Monday.

It contends there are flaws in the concealed carry law and that it violates peoples’ First and Second Amendment rights, according to county attorney Stephen Button. Button is involved providing guidance to other out-of-state lawyers.

Button says one point the circuit judges questioned the most was the state’s ‘good moral character’ clause, which permits state officials to deny gun carry applications if there is a question about a person’s character.

Button hopes the judges will throw out the Concealed Carry Improvement Act and if they don’t, it could mean going to the next step.

“From our perspective, the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, in total, is a problem. So, if they only strike down a portion of it, but leave a portion of it up, we may be evaluating our next steps which would include an appeal, a direct appeal to the United States Supreme Court,” he said.

A decision could come in 90 days.