What: Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a reply in support of its motion for summary judgment in Heeter v. James, its lawsuit challenging New York’s unconstitutional body armor ban.
Who: FPC is joined in this case by two individual FPC members. The plaintiffs are represented by Nicolas J. Rotsko of Fluet.
Where: The motion was filed in Buffalo in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.
When: FPC’s brief was filed on May 29, 2026. Briefing on the parties’ motions for summary judgments will continue through the end of June.
Why: New York’s body armor ban unconstitutionally criminalizes the purchase of simple personal protective equipment, and shows how far the state is willing to go to prevent peaceable people from protecting themselves.
Quote: “New York is such a joke and can’t seem to make up its mind. In this case, the State argues the Second Amendment doesn’t protect defensive armor because it supposedly only protects firearms-but in other Second Amendment cases, New York repeatedly argues that entire classes of common arms can be banned or restricted without constitutional protection. New York’s desperate effort to criminalize the purchase of body armor is every bit as unconstitutional as a handgun ban, and we’re going to make the State understand that. The right to keep and bear arms includes the right to own defensive armor, period. We look forward to ending this immoral ban once and for all.” -FPC President Brandon Combs.
About Firearms Policy Coalition
Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) is a nonprofit membership organization that exists to create a world of maximal individual liberty and eliminate unconstitutional gun control laws. FPC works—and wins—for the People through high-impact strategic litigation, groundbreaking research, legislative and regulatory advocacy, grassroots activism, education, and public engagement. FPC’s legal division, FPC Law, is the nation’s leading initiative dedicated to restoring the right to keep and bear arms across the United States. To learn more about how FPC is working—and winning—for the People, sign up for FPC news alerts at firearmspolicy.org and follow FPC on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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