NYSRPA pleased State Senate passed SAFE Act reform legislation
ALBANY, NY (06/09/2015)(readMedia)— The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is pleased the State Senate passed bill S-5837 repealing portions of the so-called SAFE Act.
“The SAFE Act is an undeniable failure at preventing violent crime. The increase in shootings and assaults across New York City prove that,” NYSRPA President Tom King stated. “This common sense bill is a good first step at restoring the civil rights of millions of New Yorkers.”
King concluded, “There is nothing wrong with a person admitting they made a mistake. The Governor and State Assembly should have the courage to say they did just that. On behalf of the millions of firearm owners all across the state, I encourage the Assembly to take up take up companion legislation before the end of regular sessions next week.”
As a former resident of NY State living there when this law passed, I can tell you confidently that Cuomo and his lackeys made as many mistakes by passing this gun-grabbing legislation.
Although it may have been popular in NY city where guns are illegal already, and it may have been popular among NY’s elite living with armed security around them and near their homes, it was not popular to great swaths of NY State where people still love their constitutional rights.
Aside from the unhappiness factor, the law itself was rushed and came riddled with mistakes.
In one such mistake, the law had to be amended just days after it was passed so police officers were not restricted on how many rounds they could carry in their magazine.
The law was so bad in fact that some sheriffs expressed they would not enforce many parts of the law, and thousands of NYers refused to register their AR’s as instructed.
Nonetheless the law went into effect, and nearly two years later it has been an absolute failure.
Gun violence has not decreased in NY State, it has in fact risen.
No part of the SAFE Act has had any measurable success in curbing gun violence or making NY safer from bad people with guns.
Finally it seems, however, that some NY legislators are coming to their collective senses.
Today the NYS Senate passed a bill that would shred a number of laws found in the SAFE ACT.
This legislation strikes the penal code section dealing with the ammunition database, effectively scrapping the ammunition background check system.
This bill also make administrative changes which provide for the inheritance of firearms to qualified, direct family members, including legally registered semi-automatic long guns regulated by the SAFE Act.
Finally this legislation seeks to make changes to the Mental Hygiene Law, requiring notice for persons whose names may be submitted to the NICS database. Pistol permit recertification is removed from the State Police and will be administered locally.
Will the SAFE ACT ever be entirely removed? Considering it is NY I doubt it. However, this is a great first step in restoring some of the constitutional rights back to the people of NY.
