NY Lawmaker Schumer is Targeting Laser Pointers

UH Oh... Chuck Schumer (D NY) is targeting laser pointers.

Schumer targets danger of laser pointers - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader

Well can't blame them for trying... Hope to heaven they don't.

It's a good thing really. It may be bad for the hobby, but then there will be less idiots with lasers.

I wouldn't worry too much. Old Chuckie gets a burr up his butt a couple times a year and tries to introduce legislation like this. It never usually goes far.

According to the contents of the article he isn't really doing anything that isn't already being done. He says he wants to restrict sales of the "most powerful laser pointers online" and he has written to the Feds urging them to do so, But that is already being done as the Fed level so, nothing new there. I suppose he could try and urge ISP's to block sites that sell pointers online but that won't stop jack. He could enact tough NYS legislation banning ownership of lasers but it won't stop online sales or purchases coming in from China. It could affect domestic laser dealers as in (we cannot ship this item to New York). Besides state legislation won't stop laser incidents nationwide.

Requiring people just use them for pointing at presentations isn't going to stop idiots who are hell bent on being stupid.

Warning labels posted on the pointers explaining that it is a fed offense to point at an aircraft is a good idea. At least ignorance of the law will no longer be an excuse.

As a hobbyist I don't feel too worried. Even if they one day find an effective way to ban all pointers (thanks to the jerks who make it bad for everyone else) hobbyists will still build their own

LtKernelPanic said:

I wouldn't worry too much. Old Chuckie gets a burr up his butt a couple times a year and tries to introduce legislation like this. It never usually goes far.

Click to expand...

You mean "Chuckie... the weekend warrior" ?? He always comes up with stuff like this, usually over a weekend. and then its never heard from again.

Sounds like he is not aware of the FDA regualtions already on the books or the new Federal Law about pointing at or in the flight path of an aircraft.

He should do some homework before talking.

Thanks for 'pointing' this out.

he could probably pass some form of restriction, licensing requirements or somesuch

but it shouldnt be possible for any kind of laser to be banned, anywhere

the second ammendment gives citizens the right to bear arms, and high powered laser pointers can validly be considered as "arms", especially in terms of their personal defence capabilities

maybe instead of sitting on the sidelines, we should be pushing back, to get lasers fully legalised, and regulated, so we dont have to dissassemble our lasers and pretend we dont have them, and to reduce accidents from idiots misusing them

#1

Lasers are "arms" in the same way a pair of scissors is a screw driver.

Sure it may work kindof but it ain't a screwdriver!

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#2
Also the second amendment doesn't apply to all kinds of firearms - there are plenty of varieties of firearms which aren't legal to own.

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#3

If you start treating lasers like firearms so will they.
These things are already over regulated. the last thing I (and probably a lot of you guys) need, is the ATF regulating another one of my (our) hobbies!

Yes, hard to argue Second Amendment about lasers---maybe if NRA endorsed laser perhaps and if generally in use a non-lethal weapons outside of military use.

We have enought restrictions, regulations, and laws already in use re: lasers--why add another layer to it.

If it is not broken, don''t fix it.