BY BRONX TIMES
Senator Alessandra Biaggi
and the Senate Democratic Majority
advanced legislation last
week to prevent gun violence
and make New York’s communities
safer.
The package includes bills
to hold those responsible for
the marketing and distribution
of fi rearms used in criminal
activity, combat the dangers
of imitation weapons, expand
safety training for gun owners,
enact measures to track gun
violence data and fund meaningful
research on the gun violence
epidemic. Additionally,
this legislation will improve
the enforcement and pre-existing
laws against fi rearm sales
to individuals with outstanding
warrants and creates forceful
measures to eliminate the circulation
of unfi nished receivers
and untraceable weapons.
This legislative package
builds on the Senate Democratic
Majority’s previous legislation
to stand up to the corporate
gun lobby and protect New
Yorkers from gun violence.
“As the epidemic of gun violence
continues to take innocent
lives from our communities,
it is clear we can no longer
operate within a society that
values the right to own a gun
more than the right to live,”
Biaggi said. “We must honor all
victims and survivors of gun
violence by taking bold action
and passing effective gun reform
legislation. Passing this
legislative package is a critical
step in ensuring people who
should not own a gun, do not
have access to one.”
The legislation passed by
Biaggi and the Senate Majority
includes:
Gun Industry Liability Law:
This bill, S.1048A, sponsored
by Senator Zellnor Myrie and
cosponsored by Biaggi, imposes
accountability on those
responsible for the illegal or
unreasonable sale, manufacture,
distribution, importing,
or marketing of fi rearms that
creates a public nuisance and
harm to the public.
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Crackdown on Imitation
Weapons: This bill, S.687, sponsored
by Senator Brad Hoylman
and cosponsored by Biaggi,
would update the defi nition of
“imitation weapon” to be consistent
with New York City Administrative
Code and combat
the harm incurred by realistic
toy guns.
Release of Gun Violence
Data: This bill, S.1251, sponsored
by Senator Michael Gianaris
and cosponsored by
Senator Biaggi, would require
the New York State Division of
Criminal Justice Services to release
quarterly reports regarding
gun violence data. This
measure seeks to track whether
guns obtained and used in
criminal acts were acquired
in states with weaker gun laws
than New York’s.
Establishing the Center for
Firearm Violence Research:
This bill, S.2981, sponsored by
Senator Roxanne J. Persaud
Senator Alessandra Biaggi and the Senate passed gun violence measures.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
and cosponsored by Senator
Biaggi, would establish a Center
for Firearm Violence Research
to better understand the
causes and manifestations of
gun violence, as well as generate
data-driven solutions.
Outstanding Warrant Restrictions:
This bill, S.5000B,
sponsored by Senator Brian
Kavanagh and cosponsored by
Senator Biaggi, would make it
an explicit crime to purchase a
fi rearm, knowing there was an
active warrant out for your arrest.
It would also prohibit the
gifting and selling of fi rearms
to an individual if the provider
knows that the recipient has an
outstanding warrant.
Fighting against violence
Biaggi and the Senate Majority pass
measures to prevent gun violence
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