Committee favors sheriff acting on pistol permits

A committee of the Ulster County Legislature has endorsed a home-rule request to the state that could set the stage for the county sheriff to serve as an additional firearms licensing officer.

The Laws and Rules Committee voted 5-3 Monday evening in favor of proceeding. Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk said the move would ease a paperwork burden on courts.

“Right now, every pistol permit has to be approved by a judge,” said Ronk, R-Wallkill. “In addition to that, every pistol permit amendment has to be approved by a judge.”

Voting in favor of the home-rule request were Ronk, R-Wallkill, Richard Parete, R-Accord, Kevin Roberts, RWallkill, Carl Belfiglio, R-Port Ewen, and Craig Lopez, R-Wawarsing. Opposed were Legislature Minority Leader Hector Rodriguez, D-New Paltz, David Donaldson, D-Kingston, and Peter Loughran, D-Kingston.

The home-rule request still must be approved by the full Legislature, which met Tuesday night.

Ronk said judges have voiced support for giving the sheriff authority to make amendments to pistol permits.

The sheriff previously worked with local courts on pistol permits until a state Supreme Court ruling stated judges could turn over those duties without state approval.

“There was an informal agreement where the Sheriff’s Office was delegated the authority informally by our judges to approve amendments,” Ronk said. “That authority was lifted by Judge [Thomas] Breslin.”