Albany lawmakers passed an aggressive package of bills Thursday night that will tighten gun control across New York in the wake of two devastating mass shootings in recent weeks.
The package includes 10 bills that impose age restrictions on the sale of semi-automatic rifles, ban most civilians from buying bulletproof vests, close a high-capacity magazine loophole and strengthen existing “red flag” laws among other measures.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign all 10 bills into law in the coming days.
“We cannot be satisfied by New York’s already tough gun laws,” Hochul said in a statement Thursday. “Shooting after shooting makes it clear that they must be even stronger to keep New Yorkers safe.”
One of the bills included in the package requires New Yorkers to be 21 years old to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. The measure was pushed by Hochul after an 18-year-old white supremacist used a legally-purchased assault weapon to kill 10 Black people in the governor’s hometown of Buffalo.
New Yorkers would also need a license to buy or come into possession of semi-automatic rifles under the proposal, similar to current state requirements to have a handgun.
Lawmakers drew up the age requirement bill as well as a number of the package’s other bills in direct response to the Buffalo shooting.
Another such bill prohibits the sale of bulletproof vests — like the one used by the Buffalo gunman — to people outside of certain professions like law enforcement.
One proposal requires police and district attorneys to seek an Extreme Risk Protection Order under the state red flag law when faced with potential threats. It also allows health care providers to file such orders.
Under the proposal, authorities could obtain an order allowing them to seize any weapons possessed by a possible threat. The alleged Buffalo shooter reportedly made threatening remarks at his former high school before his rampage — but was allowed to keep his weapons.
Additional bills passed in the package criminalize making threats of mass harm and close an existing loophole that prosecutors say prevents them from charging people who possess illegal gun magazines.
The bill package also includes proposals aimed at other gun crimes by expanding the definition of “firearm” and laying the groundwork to require microstamping tech in new handguns to help match specific weapons with discharged cartridges.
“Gun violence is one of the biggest issues of our time,” said Sen. Brad Hoylman, who sponsored the microstamping bill. “We must do everything in our power to continue to curb senseless killings in our state, and passing our microstamping and large capacity magazines legislation is a great place to start.”
Other proposals aim to better monitor online extremism on social media and increase reporting of illegal gun seizures.
State legislators, governed by a Democratic majority, passed the package of gun control bills just hours before the end of the 2022 legislative session.
“We just passed a 10 bill package taking action on gun violence,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “Today we are sending a message that this path of gun violence is unacceptable and we need real change.”
New York is the first state to pass gun control legislation since the country was devastated by two mass shootings 10 days apart in which a total of 31 people, including 19 school children, were killed.
“After the senseless mass shootings that have taken place in Buffalo and Uvalde, we are thankful that leaders are taking the initiative to protect our communities,” said Peter Ambler, Executive Director of the anti-gun violence organization Giffords. “This legislation will help ensure that New Yorkers will no longer have to fear grocery stores and that children will no longer fear classrooms.”
The passage marks a stark contrast to the seemingly stagnant, national gun control debate among DC lawmakers.
“Even as we take action to protect New Yorkers, we recognize that this is a nationwide problem,” Hochul said. “I once again urge Congress to seize this moment and pass meaningful gun violence prevention measures. We have no time to waste.”