New York’s Gun Safety Bill Package Leads the Way to Address Gun Violence Following Buffalo and Uvalde Mass Shootings

NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements applauding the New York legislature on passing a comprehensive package of gun safety bills to address gun violence in their state following the horrific mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and and the gun violence plaguing communities across the country every day. The passage of these bills — including bills to require microstamping on handguns, strengthen the state’s extreme risk law and its law prohibiting high capacity magazines, raise the minimum age to acquire a firearm purchase permit to 21, and create a statewide code of conduct for firearm dealers — lay out an important and comprehensive roadmap for policymakers on the state and federal level to follow in combating rising gun violence.

“New York is once again setting an example for the nation and taking swift and bold action to prevent gun violence, and other states should waste no time following suit,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “As a New Yorker and a parent, I am personally grateful to gun sense champions in the legislature for passing laws that will keep my family — and every family — safe from harm.”

“The American people are rising up and demanding strong actions from lawmakers to end the gun violence that’s killing more than 110 people every single day and is the leading cause of death for children and teens,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We’re proud to see New York lawmakers step up and pass comprehensive solutions that will save lives. Now the Senate must follow suit because inaction is not an option.”

“New York continues to lead the way on gun safety and demonstrate the meaningful way to respond to a tragedy – using the full force of their policy powers to enact and implement laws that can prevent it from happening again,” said Monisha Henley, Senior Director for State Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety. “Our gun violence crisis is preventable with common-sense public safety policy and we appreciate the New York legislature and Governor for acting with urgency. State and federal leaders across the country have the power to save lives, all they have to do is act.”

In an average year in New York, 870 people die by guns and an additional 2,607 people are wounded. Gun violence costs New York $5.9 billion each year, of which $321 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in New York is available here.