Last night, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that will place restrictions on assault weapons and ammunition, as well as keep weapons from the mentally ill, making New York the first state to pass a gun bill after the Newtown massacre. Following the bill signing, Cuomo said, "We are fighting back."
The bill, called the NY SAFE Act, was passed by the State Senate on Monday night and then by the Assembly yesterday. An hour after the Assembly's 104-43 vote, Cuomo put his name on it. The governor's website proudly declares: "New York will be the first state in the nation to: Completely ban all pre-1994 high capacity magazines; Ban any magazine that can hold over 7 rounds (down from a limit of 10); Conduct real time background checks of ammunition purchases in order to alert law enforcement of high volume buyers." Also, "This bill does not affect rifles and shotguns used by traditional sportsmen and hunters."
Cuomo said, "The new law will limit gun violence through common sense, reasonable reforms that include addressing the risks posed by mentally ill people who have access to guns and banning high capacity magazines and lethal assault weapons. This legislation is not about hunters, sportsmen, or legal owners who use their guns appropriately. It is about reducing gun violence and making New York a safer place to live. I thank leadership of both the Assembly and Senate for their action on this important legislation."
Of course, Cuomo's idea of "common sense" is nothing but "draconian" scheming to the NRA. Here's what the gun lobby said after the State Senate's vote:
The National Rifle Association and our New York members are outraged at the draconian gun control bill that was rushed through the process late Monday evening. Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature orchestrated a secretive end-run around the legislative and democratic process and passed sweeping anti-gun measures with no committee hearings and no public input.
Hammered out in a backroom in Albany, S. 2230 was quickly drafted and released 20 minutes prior to the Senate vote. It passed as the clock ticked toward midnight.
This legislation lowers New York's arbitrary magazine capacity limit from ten rounds to seven. It also greatly expands the state's existing ban on commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, and will require New York gun owners to undergo background checks on ammunition purchases.
These gun control schemes have failed in the past and will have no impact on public safety and crime. Sadly, the New York Legislature gave no consideration to that reality. While lawmakers could have taken a step toward strengthening mental health reporting and focusing on criminals, they opted for trampling the rights of law-abiding gun owners in New York, and they did it under a veil of secrecy in the dark of night.
The legislature caved to the political demands of a Governor and helped fuel his personal political aspirations. New York lawmakers have ignored and excluded gun owners throughout this legislative process, but the NRA and our New York members remain committed to having a meaningful conversation about protecting our children and will speak frankly about the lawmakers who have failed to do so.
The NY Times reports that Assemblyman Steve Katz (R-Hudson Valley) asked, "Why are we being bullied into voting on this bill without our proper, responsible due diligence? Solely due to the governor’s misguided, egotistic notion that this will advance his presidential aspirations."
And mental health professionals are worried about their responsibilities—the law will require them "to report to local mental health officials when there is reason to believe a patient is likely to engage in conduct that will cause serious harm to themselves or others." Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the state Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, told the Times-Union, "I think many of us object to the connection between violence and mental illness ... that seems to inform these new policies ... You get this kind of round-'em-up mentality that I think will only deter care."
