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Local NY reps object to gun bills

The state Senate and Assembly passed the largest gun bill package in New York since the SAFE Act Tuesday, Jan. 29, despite local representatives voting against the majority of it.

Altogether, six of the eight proposed bills passed.

On Saturday, Jan. 26, state Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, noted that New York already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country and that the bills proposed would not effect those who own illegal guns. She also reiterated her objection to the Democratic majority’s speed of passing bills this session.

“I am dismayed at the hectic pace far-reaching legislation, such as these gun control measures, is being pushed through the state Legislature,” Little wrote in an email. “Given the Democrats’ complete control of Albany, it isn’t surprising they are moving in this direction on issues such as this. But I think it is unfair to say the least, if not telling, to see them pushed through without engaging the public. There’s no interest in hearing the opposing view. The decision has been made. Which is sad because the rights enshrined in the US Constitution, all of them including the 2nd amendment, deserve more respect and consideration than we have seen from downstate lawmakers intent on hurriedly passing these bills.”

Little voted against every bill that passed except for the Out of State Mental Health Records bill, which requires out-of-state applicants to allow New York permitting authorities to review out-of-state mental health records.

Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, who represents Essex County, voted against six of the bills.

“They’re not adding value from a public safety standpoint, but they’re infringing on freedoms,” Stec said.

He’s in favor of the Out of State Mental Health Records bill, which requires out-of-state applicants to allow New York permitting authorities to review out-of-state mental health records.

Stec said the bump stock ban is redundant because it has been illegal to install a bump stock in New York for years and was recently made illegal on a federal level.

Although he supported the bump stock ban bill last year, Stec said there was an amendment this year that expanded the variety of trigger devices it bans. He said the expanded list includes devices used by disabled and competition shooters.

For the Extreme Risk Protection Orders bill, Stec was not satisfied that the bill would be able to meet due-process standards for removing guns from people who are deemed likely to harm themselves or others according to a court order obtained by law enforcement officials, family and household members and certain school officials.

Stec said there are existing gun laws to remove firearms from people deemed unstable, with police conducting an investigation first.

Stec said another bill prevents “anyone other than a security officer, school resource officer, or law enforcement officer” from carrying a firearm on school grounds and will keep school trap shooting coaches from bringing their firearm on school grounds. He said this was brought up, and there was an option to make an exception for the coaches, but it was not passed.

“They said, ‘Nope, we like this bill the way it is. We’re going to press on,'” Stec said.

The Bump Stock Ban outlaws a rifle stock that increases the rate of fire on a semi-automatic firearm to an automatic rate. A bump stock was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, in which 58 people were killed.

Another bill prevents “anyone other than a security officer, school resource officer, or law enforcement officer” from carrying a firearm on school grounds.

The Extreme Risk Protection Orders bill “allows law enforcement officials, family and household members and certain school officials to seek a court order requiring a person likely to harm themselves or others to relinquish any firearms in their possession.”

The Effective Background Check Act “establishes an extension of time up to thirty calendar days for national in-state background checks.”

A gun buy back bill, “directs the State Police to devise regulations for gun buyback programs so that all buyback programs across the state are operated consistently with uniform best practices.”

The Out of State Mental Health Records bill requires out-of-state applicants to allow New York permitting authorities to review out-of-state mental health records.

This is the largest set of gun bills the state has passed since the SAFE Act became law in 2013.

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