As the debate over gun-control laws plays out on the national stage, lawmakers in New York have already begun laying out the blueprint for legislation that would significantly curb gun access in the state.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo laid out an ambitious proposal on Wednesday in his third State of the State address, calling on legislative leaders to approve a package comprising some of the nation’s strictest gun-control laws. And, in a shift from the measured pace at which agreements often are made in Albany, state lawmakers appear to be well on their way to acting on the governor’s request.
Governor Cuomo proposed what would be the toughest assault weapons ban in the country, arguing for the need to close the numerous loopholes on the state’s current assault weapons ban, as well as for a comprehensive ban on large-capacity magazines. He also called for “near universal background checks” on individuals buying guns, and new measures to keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill people and criminals. And, in what may have been a reach across the political aisle, Governor Cuomo proposed that criminal penalties be increased for crimes committed with illegal weapons – an item that the Senate Republican conference has insisted be a requirement of any deal.
Governor Cuomo’s sweeping proposal comes on the heels of the elementary school shootings in Newtown Connecticut, which sparked a new round of calls for tightened gun-control laws throughout the Nation. And while several state capitals have already signaled their intentions to take up the issue of gun control, New York is the first flash point in the battle to enact new legislation. Indeed, legislative leaders in Albany, in an effort to send a message to the Nation that the recent shootings demand immediate action, say they hope to vote on the package of legislation as soon as next week. As of Wednesday, lawmakers were “95 percent” of the way toward an agreement, according to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Senate Republicans, considered the only potential obstacle to Governor Cuomo’s proposals, indicated that they did not intend to block a deal.
Nevertheless, the question remains as to just how effective these strict laws would be in a state that already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. On the one hand, some believe that the laws would go a long way in easing the enforcement of gun restrictions. For instance, Albany already banned large capacity magazines, but it made an exception for magazines made before September 1994, making it difficult for local authorities to enforce the ban given the difficulty of ascertaining a magazine’s manufacture date. The proposed ban on all large capacity magazines, regardless of the magazine’s date of manufacture, would offer authorities a great deal more clarity.
On the other hand, there is not a lot of reliable data from which to draw a conclusion about the laws’ potential impact on crime rate, given that federal data on gun ownership have diminished and public funding for gun research has dwindled. A host of gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, have already harped on this point, arguing that there is no indication that these laws will have any positive effect on reducing gun violence, and that Albany’s push to enforce new gun laws is misguided.
Politics aside, there is certainly agreement that Governor Cuomo’s proposed package has served as a critical jumping-off point for discussion regarding comprehensive gun-control reform.