Literally, the middle of the night, just before dawn.

We have written many times about the rush to pass the new New York gun law, resulting in many unintended consequences, including a magazine capacity limit that was unworkable and the potential criminalization of police officers:

The 7-bullet limitation was amended by attaching it to a budget measure to avoid Republicans being able to defeat the “fix” and thereby expose the foolish nature of the law as originally rushed through.

Another problem was that retired police officers, who often retained their service weapons and whose identities were revealed by a newspaper in some counties north of NYC, were in violation of the limit on magazine capacity.

That was fixed, in the middle of the night, via Wall Street Journal on June 21, 2013, N.Y. Lawmakers Adjust Gun Law in Predawn Vote:

About three hours before dawn on Friday, New York’s Senate voted to amend the state’s new gun law and allow retired police officers to possess large-capacity ammunition magazines. The bill ”sprang onto the chamber floor shortly before 2 a.m., and drew howls” from some Republican members who think the state’s new gun law should be repealed, not amended, reports the Albany Times Union. “This is ridiculous,” said one senator before the 2 .am. vote.

The Times Union reported:

Without warning, the state Senate approved a bill early Friday morning that would exempt retired law enforcement officers from new ammunition restrictions in New York’s new gun control law, the SAFE Act. The measure sprang onto the chamber floor shortly before 2 a.m., and drew howls from some of the GOP’s Republican members. Roughly half of them — including Sens. Kathy Marchione, R-Halfmoon and Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna — voted against the legislation, generally citing disgust with the process and a desire that the SAFE Act be repealed in its entirety. “There’s a difference between working through the night and this crap. This is ridiculous,” Sen. Greg Ball, R-Putnam County, said on the chamber floor. “You’re going to have this conference be ripped apart.” The exemption passed 49-14.

Governor Cuomo immediately indicated he would sign the amendment.

I think this twitter user had it right:



