NY Lawmakers Propose Graphic Gun Shop Warnings

Proposed legislation would require gun stores to display alarming posters about firearm risks

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Two Democratic state lawmakers in New York are proposing legislation that would force gun shop owners to display 'graphic' posters about the dangers of firearms, similar to warnings on cigarette packaging. The lawmakers argue the visual warnings could make people 'think twice' before purchasing a gun, but gun rights activists have quickly pushed back, calling the proposal an attack on the Second Amendment.

Why it matters

This legislation is the latest effort by New York lawmakers to impose additional restrictions on gun ownership, despite the state already having some of the toughest gun laws in the country. The debate highlights the ongoing tensions between gun control advocates and Second Amendment proponents over the best ways to address gun violence and public safety.

The details

The proposed law would require gun shops to display posters with striking images, such as a small casket with flowers or a child reaching into a drawer with a gun, along with text warning about the risks of firearms including suicide, domestic violence, and accidental deaths. Shops that don't comply would face fines of up to $10,000. The state Department of Health would design the required signage.

  • The legislation was unveiled by Assemblyman Keith Powers and State Senator Erik Bottcher on March 11, 2026.
  • A similar law requiring gun shops in New York City to post alarming signage was passed in 2025.

The players

Keith Powers

A Democratic Assemblyman from Manhattan who co-introduced the proposed legislation.

Erik Bottcher

A Democratic State Senator from Manhattan who co-introduced the proposed legislation.

Tom King

The president of the New York Rifle and Pistol Association, a gun rights group that opposes the proposal.

Kevin Byrne

A Republican Putnam County Executive who criticized the legislation as an attack on the Second Amendment.

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What they’re saying

“If one person thinks twice and changes their mind at the counter because of seeing this picture, this law will be worth it.”

— Erik Bottcher, State Senator (New York Post)

“When the stakes are life and death, firearm warnings shouldn't be easy to ignore. Graphic displays help make the risks of firearms unmistakable – and is a public health approach to solving scourge of gun violence.”

— Keith Powers, Assemblyman (New York Post)

“It's an election year. They can go back to their districts and say 'this is what I did. I put this warning up and it's going to save people. And it's all bull.”

— Tom King, President, New York Rifle and Pistol Association (New York Post)

“Just when you think Albany can't come up with another way to trample on the Second Amendment, they prove you wrong.”

— Kevin Byrne, Putnam County Executive (New York Post)

What’s next

The proposed legislation still needs to be voted on and approved by the New York State Legislature before it could become law.

The takeaway

This debate over graphic gun shop warnings highlights the ongoing tensions in New York between gun control advocates seeking to limit firearm access and Second Amendment supporters who view such measures as unconstitutional infringements on their rights. The outcome could set an important precedent for other states considering similar policies.