New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D) response to the Buffalo Mass Shooting includes, Measures that she is enacting on her own, exercising her Office's Authority, to direct the State Police to tighten a Requirement, under a Law meant to keep Guns out of the hands of People deemed to be a Danger, and an effort to scrutinize potential Acts of Domestic Terrorism.
She's also working with New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), with an Investigative referral of Social Media Companies that hosted the Live Stream of the alleged Gun Man's Massacre. But there are some Measures Hochul will need Legislative Approval for in the coming weeks.
And the timing could be key if there's any chance of these Proposals being made Law. The State Legislature is set to depart Albany on June 2nd for the remainder of the year. There are already hot-button National Issues on the docket, such as addressing Abortion Policy ahead of what could be an overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Hochul in essence wants Three pieces of Legislation approved in the coming weeks:
1. She wants Lawmakers to Close what she called a "loophole" in the existing Gun Control Law that would broaden the Definition of a Firearm to include Weapons that have been Modified or Altered.
2. She is calling for a Bill that would require Semiautomatic Pistols Made or Delivered to Licensed Dealers in New York to be Microstamped. It's a Proposal that is an Alteration from a previous Bill that would have required the Microstamping of Bullets. That Bill ultimately Languished in Albany after Democrats Lost Control of the State Senate in 2011 for nearly a Decade.
3. Law Enforcement Agencies would be Required to Report the Recovery of any Gun used in a Crime within 24 hours of its Discovery.
Lawmakers could also expand Hochul's Executive Order meant to Expand the "red flag" Law to include Local Police Agencies as well.
Hochul noted it's getting Late in Albany, with a potentially Eventful end to the Legislative session. And Lawmakers can move quickly when motivated. In 2013, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo was able to push through a Package of Gun Control Measures a Month after the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting.
It may Not be the heaveist lift for a Democratic-controlled Legislature whose Leaders have been supportive of Gun Control Laws. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D) and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) both expressed an interest in doing more to address the issue.
"I'm going to continue working over the next few days, because we're coming down to the wire here with the end of session, I want to work closely with the legislature because they have a thoughtful approach to this as well," Hochul said. "They are my partners and I'm going to do that, but I know that there's more we can do."
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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