Politics & Government
Gun Safety Groups List Legislative Priorities For 2014
On on year anniversary of NY Safe Act, gun control advocates push for more change.
To mark the first anniversary of enactment of the NY Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, pro-gun restriction groups announced Wednesday their legislative agenda for 2014.
The Democrat-dominated State Legislators Against Illegal Guns and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence say they intend to build upon the NY SAFE Act this year and call for new gun safety laws during the new legislative session which began Jan. 8.
“As long as children and innocents are murdered with illegal guns, we cannot stop," said Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck). "Our moderate voices for sensible gun laws will not be silenced.”
Passed Jan. 15 of last year, the NY SAFE Act included provisions such as background checks on all gun purchasers, a prohibition on sales of assault rifles with certain characteristics, a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Schimel, the co-chair of SLAIG, said the goal this year is a pro-active approach in keeping guns away from criminals, terrorists and domestic violence offenders before a crime is committed.
Advocacy groups are seeking in 2014, increased child access prevention which would require a gun safe, trigger lock, or secure gun cabinet when a firearm is not in the immediate possession or control of the owner.
Another attempt at a microstamping law, which failed to pass last year, will be made this year in an attempt to require all semiautomatic handguns sold or delivered in New York to be equipped with a feature that imprints a unique code onto the shell casing every time a gun is fired, to assist in solving crimes and to deter straw purchasers and gun trafficking.
A one-gun-a-month limit and waiting period for purchases in an attempt to reduce straw purchases and trafficking, and give law enforcement officials more time to perform a background checks and help guard against impulsive acts of violence, is also being sought by gun control advocates.
Legislators are calling for laws to empower law enforcement officers to remove firearms from the scene of a domestic violence dispute.
A ban on 50-caliber military-style sniper rifles is being proposed.
Additionally, a better use of background checks is being requested to require dealers to report failed background checks and reveal people who have attempted to buy guns they are prohibited from owning and require gun dealer employees handling weapons to pass background checks.
Not on this year's list of priorities is even more stringent penalties for gun offenders.
"I fully support the stronger criminal penalties enacted in the 2013 NY SAFE Act and continue to advocate for stronger sanctions and enforcement," said Schimel to Patch.
Established in 2010, SLAIG is a group of lawmakers who support state legislation in an effort to increased gun safety laws.
The NYAGV group advocates at the local and national levels for changes to gun laws, policies and practices.
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