S9458 purchase or taking possession of a semiautomatic rifle

S.9458/A.10503 More Licensing requirements [link] :  There are no exceptions or exemptions for common semi automatic rimfire .22 long rifle, or .17 HMR or similar used for hunting. 

By requiring a license for semi-automatic rifles, the existing age requirement comes into effect [link]. 1. Eligibility. No license shall be issued or renewed pursuant to this section except by the licensing officer, and then only after investigation and finding that all statements in a proper application for a license are true. No license shall be issued or renewed except for an applicant (a) twenty-one years of age or older, provided, however, that where such applicant has been honorably discharged from the United States army, navy, marine corps, air force or coast guard, or the national guard of the state of New York, no such age restriction shall apply

Reading the law, one cannot tell if the pistol and rifle requirements will be implemented in the same or different licensing systems. They both use the amendment process to add/remove weapons, and the requirement for coupons refers to both in the same sentence, but then describes disposition only for firearms (pistols/revolvers).  The press release further says this law limits purchase to age 21 but it is not mentioned in the bill anywhere. Our guess is that the pistol licensing system will be used for semi automatic rifles. 

On page 4, there is one sentence referring to both pistol/revolvers and semi-automatic rifles. You have to have a coupon to take possession.A license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver or to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle shall have attached the licensee's photograph, and a coupon which shall be removed and retained by any person disposing of a firearm to the licensee. If the coupons are only for firearms (pistols/revolvers) then it was a mistake to add semi-automatic rifles to the coupon clause at all.

On page 5 there is a second indication that the semi-automatic rifle licensing system might be added to the pistol permit licensing system and is possibly a mistake. ... a  person licensed to carry or possess a pistol or revolver or to purchase  or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle may apply at any time to his  or her licensing officer for amendment of his or her license to include  one or more such weapons or to cancel weapons held under license.   If a license is only needed to purchase, then adding semi-automatic rifles to the amendment clause was a mistake. This clause does not say firearm, it says weapon, which encompasses both firearms and semi-automatic rifles.

This potential mistake from rushing a bill into law suggests semi auto rifles need to be added to and removed from the license that is described as only being needed to purchase or take possession of semi-auto rifles after a certain date.

If this poorly written law is enforced, then the next requirement from page 7 is very concerning:  A person is guilty of criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle when he or she purchases or takes possession of a semiautomatic rifle and  does not possess a license to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle as provided in subdivision two of section 400.00 of this chapter. If existing rifles are not grandfathered, and licenses need to be amended to include or cancel individual semi-automatic rifles, then possessing 2 such semi-automatic rifles not listed on the license will make you a felon if caught and convicted. Criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle is a class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a class E felony for subsequent offenses. 

This law goes into effect 90 days after signature, so 9/4/2022.