New York on Tuesday passed what supporters called the toughest gun ownership law in the country, becoming the first US state to impose new restrictions in the wake of last month’s elementary school massacre in Connecticut.
Lawmakers in the lower house of the State Assembly voted 104-43 in favor of the measures, which were approved by the upper house in a 43-18 vote late Monday.
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who rushed through the legislation, welcomed the assembly’s “bold statement, coming together in a bipartisan, collaborative manner to meet the challenges that face our state and our nation, as we have seen far too many senseless acts of gun violence.”
He told lawmakers ahead of the voting: “The people of this state now are crying out for help on the issue of gun violence, and I think this does that.”
The measures, which include a full ban on sales of military-style rifles, were linked directly to the national horror at the December 14 massacre of 20 elementary school students and six staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Those killings sparked a major national debate over the need for curbing America’s liberal gun laws. President Barack Obama said Tuesday he would unveil his own proposals on Wednesday.
New York passes tough post-massacre gun law
