New Yorkers Against Gun Violence has been fighting for gun safety for more than 20 years. Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a bipartisan coalition of legislators, we passed the NY SAFE Act.
The law is consistent with the Second Amendment and has the support of the majority, including gun owners.
Smart gun laws work. The five states (including New York) with the strongest gun laws have the lowest rates of gun deaths.
Some of the life-saving measures in the act:
The law strengthens our ban on assault weapons to include the AR-15 assault rifle like that used by Adam Lanza in Newtown and requires registration of assault weapons. New Yorkers have had to register their handguns for decades, so why not military-style assault weapons?
The law requires background checks on all private gun sales; the only exception is private transfer to an immediate family member. Some 91 percent of Americans support this.
The law establishes a statewide database to allow mental health and criminal background checks and requires mental health professionals to report when a patient may engage in violent behavior that may endanger themselves or others.
The law limits magazine sizes to 10 and bullets to seven. State hunting regulations limit bullets to six, and New York City restricts long-guns to no more than five bullets.
It's time for Congress to stop following the National Rifle Association's lead and follow New York's lead and put the safety of all Americans before the profits of the gun industry.
Leah Gunn Barrett
executive direcor,
New Yorkers AgainstGun Violence,