NEW YORK STATE SENATE OFFICE OF SENATOR MICHAEL GIANARIS For Immediate Release August 15, 2012 Contact:

Anna Adams-Sarthou 718-728-0960 sarthou@nysenate.gov

BROAD COALITION FORMS IN SUPPORT OF STRONGER GUN LAWS Elected officials, law enforcement, gun violence prevention advocates among groups joining in support for sensible gun laws New York, NY Senator Michael Gianaris, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence today were joined by law enforcement officials and labor advocacy groups as well as members of the State Legislature to announce the support of a growing coalition for a package of sensible gun legislation. As momentum builds, the coalition is pushing for these measures to be adopted. Their passage would make New York State the nations toughest on guns and would set an example for states across the country to establish stronger, more responsible gun measures. Following a recent uptick in gun violence across the country as well as in New York, Senator Gianaris introduced a series of gun violence prevention bills based on criteria established by the Brady Campaign which ranks each state according to the strength of its gun laws. The package of legislation discussed today includes the Gianaris proposals as well as previously introduced legislation by Senators Jose Peralta, Daniel Squadron, Liz Krueger and Adriano Espaillat. These proposals would responsibly strengthen New Yorks gun laws and increase protection from gun violence. "Recent horrific acts of gun violence should lead us all to say enough is enough. It is long past time to improve our gun laws and make our streets safer, Senator Gianaris said. I am proud to stand with this growing coalition of supporters to push for enactment of these sensible gun laws and will continue to push for their passage so we can keep guns out of the wrong hands. Senator Gianaris announced the introduction of five bills last week, which would do the following: Limit the purchase of a firearm to one per month and limit a firearm dealer from selling a firearm to any individual who has purchased such a weapon within the previous 30 days;

Establish a universal background check to close a loophole in firearm sales and require background checks for all gun sales, even transactions between private sellers and buyers; Require prospective purchasers to obtain a firearm safety certificate, which can only be acquired after the successful completion of a safety training course that includes live firing, a safe-handling demonstration and a written test of firearm laws; Impose a 10 day waiting period on the sale of a firearm in order to give law enforcement officials enough time to perform a thorough background check of the prospective owner. This would also allow for a cooling-off period to help guard against impulsive acts of violence; Close several gaps in the regulation of firearms and sale of ammunition, including a 10 year record retention requirement for all sales, mandating dealer permits to sell firearms, rifles, shotguns and ammunition, sales of which must be reported within 24 hours to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

The other bills included in the gun violence prevention package would: Require semiautomatic pistols manufactured or delivered to any licensed dealer in New York to be capable of microstamping ammunition (Peralta); Require the creation and implementation of responsible commercial practices and comprehensive record keeping and reporting to prevent gun sales to criminals (Peralta); Require a national instant criminal and mental health background check to be conducted on each individual who purchases ammunition (Peralta); Add additional weapon models to the definition of an assault weapon and adds related definitions (Squadron); Enact the "children's weapon accident prevention act (Krueger); Require the safe storage of all guns, either in a safe or with a locking device (Espaillat).

Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said, We applaud and support Senator Michael Gianaris for introducing a series of bills to strengthen New York States gun laws. Quite simply, the proposed legislation will help make New York a safer state for all of its citizens. The Brady Campaign values Senator Gianariss leadership on this important issue and his commitment to reducing injuries and death. Its time to put the interests of New York families and our law enforcement officers above the interests of the gun lobby. Jackie Hilly, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said, New York State can make our communities and public places safer by insuring that dangerous guns do not end up in the hands of dangerous criminals. The laws we consider today will help prevent illegal trafficking of guns. It is critical that all New Yorkers come together to solve this problem. No one can afford to sit on the sidelines when children are dying on playgrounds and families are slaughtered in movie theatres. Public spaces should be safe places. I applaud everyone who stands with us today for their courage and their conviction to make New York safer for its children, families and visitors. Patrick J. Lynch, Police Benevolent Association President, said, The PBA whole heartedly supports legislation that aims to keep guns out of the wrong hands or enhances law

enforcements ability to bring to justice anyone who uses a gun in the commission of a crime. State Senator Michael Gianaris bills are intended to do just that and we thank him and all of the elected officials who are working to make our streets safer from the illegal use of firearms. Norman Seabrook, President of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association said, "Gun violence is out of control in this city and in this country. I have personally witnessed the pain of my members whose children have been shot dead in our streets. I applaud the efforts made by Senator Gianaris and others which will hopefully strengthen our gun laws and make them the toughest in the nation." Senator Jose Peralta said, If there was ever a time and if there was ever an issue for Democrats and Republicans to do everything possible to find common ground, now is the time and gun violence is the issue. Sensible peopleincluding most gun ownersrecognize we have a very serious problem on our hands. Both sides need to set aside politics and work together to bring an end to the gun violence and bloodshed on our streets. Senator Daniel Squadron said, "How many more wake up calls do we need before we finally act? It's high time that we put in place common sense protections to keep our streets and our families safe from gun violence. From my bill to crack down on assault weapons around the state, to the creation of critical limits on gun sales and the vital crime-solving tool of microstamping, this package will make New York a national leader in gun control -- and that's something to be proud of. Thank you to Senator Gianaris and all of my colleagues who are working to make these vital protections a reality." Senator Liz Kreuger said, "The horrific incidents we have seen around the country are just the latest tragic alarm bell, warning us that it is time to take action for public safety. I call on our Republican colleagues to do right by our children, families, and police officers by rejecting the gun lobby's extreme, devil-may-care attitude. Every legislator must heed Governor Cuomo's call for action on this -- we must work together to fight gun violence and set a bipartisan example for the nation here in New York." Senator Adriano Espaillat said, "The gun-safety bills supported by Senate Democrats represent a smart, common-sense approach to public safety. The horrific recent shootings around the country are a reminder that there is much more to do to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who seek to do maximum damage with the most lethal weapons. We must proceed with a sense of urgency and pass these bills immediately." Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "The communities I represent in the Bronx have felt the impact that lax gun laws can have, as gun violence has risen to unacceptably high levels. We as New Yorkers have to demand stronger gun control laws in order to keep our communities safe and aid law enforcement in monitoring the trafficking of guns coming in and out of our state. Our communities cannot afford to keep waiting for laws that can help us put an end to gun violence and ensure that the folks we represent feel safe in their home and on their block." Richard Aborn, President of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City and former President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said, I applaud our allies in the

New York State legislature for their efforts to eliminate the deadly flow of illegal guns. But, we also need federal legislation to stem the tide of rising gun violence which claims more American lives in a single year than the combined US casualties of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Congress continued indifference to the problem in light of recent shootings is a national crime." Alan Lubin, Co-Chair of BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, said, New York City has one of the toughest - if not the toughest - gun laws in the country. But New York is still awash in illegal guns because the weapons continue to come up here from the south. That - and the endless cycle of gun violence and murder -- will continue unabated until Washington and Albany enact tough gun control laws. Fortunately, more common sense has prevailed here in New York City, where most of our elected officials continue to insist on tough gun laws. New York can't go it alone. We at BALCONY implore our members to write to their lawmakers in Albany and Washington and demand tougher gun controls laws. Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, the prime-sponsor of microstamping legislation in the New York State Assembly, said, The need for a comprehensive approach to illegal gun trafficking is validated every day. It is clear that the need for microstamping and gun violence prevention should be the number one priority for elected officials. I will say it again and again, elected officials must put the public safety of its citizens before the interests of the gun lobby. People are dying. Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh of Manhattan, co-chair of New York State Legislators Against Illegal Guns, said, Again and again, we are faced with the tragic consequences of lax gun laws, not just the mass shootings, as horrific as they are, but also the violent gun crimes that occur day in and day out in our communities and across our country. I'm proud to stand with Senator Gianaris, the Brady Campaign, and so many other concerned Americans, to say that we're going to fight to make New York a leading example of what's possible when people work together to ensure that guns are not accessible to violent criminals and other dangerous individuals. ### http://www.scribd.com/SenatorMikeGianaris www.gianaris.nysenate.gov