Just hours before New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law a package of 10 bills that tightened the state”™s gun regulations, and while word was circulating on Capitol Hill that some sort of limited bipartisan action on gun control appeared possible, five business groups from around New York state were issuing a call for Congress to reinstate a ban on assault weapons. The move came in the wake of the growing number of mass shooting events in the U.S. in which assault weapons such as the AR-15 have been used.
During a virtual news conference on June 6, representatives of The Business Council of Westchester, Business Council of New York State, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce made it clear that they feel there are no more excuses for not restricting civilian access to assault weapons, designed as weapons of war.
“The tragic, brutal and senseless shootings that we have witnessed over the last two weeks must be a final wakeup call that new federal legislation has to be adopted to finally address the glaring holes in the criminal justice system,” said John Ravitz, executive vice president and COO of The Business Council of Westchester. “Real solutions are necessary to prevent the horrific tragedies that this country continues to face.”
Ravitz said that it is important for the business community statewide to stand together in the wake of the carnage the country has been experiencing.
“These are not isolated incidents and they”™re happening in urban and rural areas all across our country,” Ravitz said. “Legislators now in Washington need to understand that ”¦ there is a way to begin to fix this problem.”
Ravitz said that every member of Congress must look in the mirror everyday before going to work and ask, “Am I doing all I can to prevent these types of heinous, horrific, brutal crimes that are occurring unfortunately almost on a daily basis in our country?”
Heather Briccetti, president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State said, “Unfortunately, these incidents and the anguish they leave behind are not unique to this state, which is why federal legislation would be an appropriate step in addressing this continuing crisis across America. When it comes to mass shootings and illogical acts of violence, we believe common-sense laws that are consistent from state to state must be adopted to hinder and hopefully, one day, prevent meaningless death and endless sorrow.”
Dottie Gallagher, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, who was an organizer of the call for federal action, said, “As representatives of employers across New York, we have a responsibility to stand up and fight for policies to help keep our places of business, employees, customers and communities safe.”
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership cited data provided by the organization Everytown for Gun Safety indicating that if the U.S. still had the federal assault weapons ban that was in place from 1994 to 2004, the country would see 70% fewer mass shootings deaths. According to The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, 155% more people are shot in incidents where assault weapons or high-capacity magazines are used.
On June 6, Gov. Hochul had gone to the Northeast Bronx YMCA to sign into law the new gun control legislation. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Yonkers, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Attorney General Letitia James and victims and survivors of gun violence were on hand for the signing ceremony.
Hochul said, “When did we become a nation that reveres the right to have the ability to possess a gun over the right of a child to stay alive? When did that happen? When will we as a nation say, ”˜Enough of the bloodshed. No more, no more.”™ Gun violence is a disease that is tearing our nation apart.”
One of the new laws requires anyone buying a semiautomatic assault rifle to obtain a gun license before making the purchase. Since the minimum age for obtaining a gun license is 21, that action automatically raises minimum the age for purchasing such a weapon from 18 to 21.
Another new law makes sales of body armor illegal to anyone who is not a law enforcement professional or other eligible professional designated by New York”™s Department of State.
Also included is a law requiring that all pistols sold in the state be capable of microstamping. With microstamping, bullets and cartridge cases receive a distinctive mark each time a gun is fired. The marking allows investigators to link bullets and casings recovered at crime scenes to a specific gun and potentially other crimes.
“Our nation has been brought to a moment of reckoning due to weapons of war that have been too easily accessed by those seeking to kill,” Stewart-Cousins said. “These weapons have made places in our communities like schools, grocery stores, houses of worship and concerts places of carnage.”
Connecticut”™s Sen. Chris Murphy, lead negotiator for the Democrats in the bipartisan talks on federal gun control legislation, reported on where the talks stood as of June 5 during an interview on CNN. Murphy said he was “more confident than ever” that something would happen to address gun violence.
“I”™ve never been part of negotiations as serious as these. There are more Republicans at the table talking about changing our gun laws, investing in mental health than at any time since Sandy Hook,” Murphy said when interviewed by CNN”™s Jake Tapper on the program “State of the Union.” Murphy added, “I”™ve also been part of many failed negotiations in the past, so I”™m sober-minded about our chances.”
