Case Closed On Concealed Carry For Church Security Teams
Written by on August 7, 2023
New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms is pleased and thankful to report that our lawsuit challenging the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), a gun control law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022, has been withdrawn. Our attorney, David C. Sieling, Esq., withdrew the lawsuit because the changes made to the CCIA during this year’s state budget process made the lawsuit no longer necessary.
As many New Yorkers will recall, the CCIA banned volunteer church security teams from carrying concealed firearms. This was problematic, given that many New York churches believe that armed security is needed to protect their churches and that the CCIA only allowed law enforcement officers or paid security staff to carry concealed weapons on church properties. After multiple lawsuits were filed, courts held this limitation to be unconstitutional. Later, the 2023-2024 state budget amended the CCIA to allow unpaid security personnel at houses of worship to carry firearms. This action cured the problem that led us to file suit in the first place.
New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms thanks David Sieling and the attorneys of the law firm of Brenna Boyce for representing us in this matter. We also thank the churches across New York who joined in the lawsuit. Church protection and church autonomy are principles worth defending.
