ONONDAGA COUNTY -- The day after a public hearing where more than 400 people packed the Onondaga County Legislature chambers in support of repealing the NY SAFE Act, lawmakers passed a resolution to repeal New York's tough new gun laws. The resolution passed by a vote of 14-3 Tuesday afternoon. It drew applause from a group of gun rights advocates who had gathered for the vote.
The resolution, titled “Memorializing opposition to the New York SAFE Act,” calls upon Governor Andrew Cuomo and the State Legislature to repeal the toughest set of gun control laws introduced in the wake of the Newtown massacre.
The resolution criticizes the governor and state legislature for “an infringement upon constitutionally protected second amendment rights.”
Lawmakers were also considering a competing proposal offered by the Democrats, calling for amending certain parts of the NY Safe Act, but stops short of a repeal.
Prior to meeting, Father Borace Kroner spoke before the legislature. “The second amendment is not about duck hunting, it’s not about target shooting, it’s not about that. What it is about is the ability of the people to defend our children,” said Father Kroner.
Patricia Campbell, a criminal defense lawyer speaking in favor of the NY SAFE Act, referred to an 1856 painting of a child hanging on the legislature walls.
“If she and 20 her classmates had been gun downed and killed, wouldn’t they have done something by now?” Campbell said. “You don’t need 40 to 50 bullets in a gun. For who? The government? To shoot against the government?”
A voice from the audience said “yes.”
Among other things, the NY SAFE Act redefines and restricts the ownership of "assault weapons," bans high capacity magazines by limiting them to 7 rounds, requires background checks on the purchase of ammunition, attempts to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, and requires 5 year renewals for pistol permits.
