New York City's $340 gun fee ruled legal
A federal appeals court gave the green light Tuesday to a law permitting New York City to charge hundreds of dollars for a gun licensing fee that costs $3 to $10 elsewhere in the state,
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the $340 handgun fee for a three-year license was legal for the same reasons that fees imposed on those seeking to stage a rally or a parade are constitutional.
"Imposing fees on the exercise of constitutional rights is permissible when the fees are designed to defray (and do not exceed) the administrative costs of regulating the protected activity," the appeals court said.
The city had told the court that revenue generated by licensing fees before the fee was increased in 2004 covered just over half of the related administrative expenses.
The ruling rejected a lawsuit brought in 2011 by guns rights advocates including the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association and the Second Amendment Foundation. The groups had challenged the law permitting New York City and neighboring Nassau County on Long Island to charge more than the $3 to $10 required for a handgun license elsewhere in the state.
Read More: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/New-York-City-s-340-gun-fee-ruled-legal-4656027.php
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