Many pistol permit holders in St. Lawrence County have until the Jan. 31 deadline for pistol permit recertification.

Assemblyman Marc W. Butler, R-Newport, sent out the reminder, noting that the requirement has been imposed by the SAFE Act, an initiative of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“His law requires the recertification of all pistol permits five years after the issuance of your original permit,” said Butler, whose 118th Assembly District includes St. Lawrence County towns of Madrid, Norfolk, Stockholm, Parishville, Pierrepont, Clare, Colton, Clifton and Fine.

“The governor’s so-called SAFE Act makes it certain that those who fail to register will lose their pistol permit. According to the State Police, nearly 350,000 permit recertification reminder letters have been sent out to pistol owners, but only 175,000 pistol permit holders have recertified so far,” Butler’s press statement said.

“While I continue to believe the governor’s gun legislation oversteps the rights outlined by the Bill of Rights, I want to be sure that we work together to prevent lawful citizens from falling into the many traps the governor has written into the law, which, in his mind, give reason to further curtail your Second Amendment rights.”

The first recertification deadline on Jan. 31 is for those who were issued permits before Jan. 15, 2013. Those who were issued permits on or after that date will have to recertify within five years.

New York pistol permit holders may visit the New York State Police’s website for further details: https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Firearms/pistol_revolver_license_recertification.php.

For additional help, people may contact Butler’s district office at 315-866-1632 or butlerm@nyassembly.gov.