In the spring of 2022, following a deadly mass shooting in Buffalo, New York lawmakers passed a package of gun control measures that included a ban on the sale of body armor, which the assailant had worn during the rampage. Because body armor is essential safety equipment for journalists in hostile environments, such as civil unrest or war zones, a group of press organizations led by the Deadline Club urged Governor Kathy Hochul to veto the measure. Read Letter
Although Hochul signed the bill, other groups that had joined with club in opposing it convinced the agency overseeing its implementation to exclude “journalist” and related occupations from the sales ban. The journalist exclusion was made official in a Jan. 13, 2023 “Determination” letter in which the New York Department of State borrowed liberally from the Deadline Club’s letter. Read Letter