Gun Law Causes Pistol Permit Backlog – Since New York’s new gun control law was adopted, St. Lawrence County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp says the number of people seeking pistol permits has skyrocketed.  “It has been a struggle to keep up. Our staff has really done an amazing job, but it has meant extra comp time and, as far as office expense, it’s been huge,” said Rupp.  There are more than 17,000 people in the county with pistol permits.  About 3,800 of them have signed opt-out forms to keep their personal information private.  The high demand for handgun permits is putting a strain on the Sheriff’s Office and its deputies, who do a majority of the required fingerprinting and background checks on each applicant before any decision is made.