(Long Island, NY) NYAGV applauded today’s federal appeals court ruling that upheld the New York SAFE Act, passed in January 2013 by a bipartisan legislature following the Sandy Hook massacre. The court decisively rejected the gun lobby’s claim that the law’s ban on military-purposed assault weapons and high capacity magazines violates the Second Amendment.
NYAGV Executive Director Leah Gunn Barrett said, “Once again, a federal appeals court has ruled that the core provisions of the NY SAFE Act are constitutional. The court recognizes that the regulations are reasonable and will protect New Yorkers by keeping guns out of the wrong hands. That’s why the law is supported by a wide majority of New York voters including gun owners and is a major reason New York State has the 3rd lowest gun death rate in the nation. In fact, since 2010, gun deaths have fallen 15% in New York State but have risen 6% nationally.”
Barrett continued, “But there is more we must do including enacting a firearm safe storage law to protect children from the dangers of unlocked and loaded guns in the home and to prevent gun thefts, and providing law enforcement with the tools it needs to solve gun crimes. New York has shown that gun laws save lives. Until strong federal gun laws are enacted, our state will remain vulnerable to the ceaseless flow of illegal gun into New York communities. It’s shameful that Congress is more eager to do the bidding of the NRA than it is to protect the health and safety of Americans.”
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is a statewide advocacy group working to reduce gun violence through advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, the organization also advocates at the local and national levels for sensible gun laws, policies and practices that protect New York State residents from gun violence.
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