Cuomo administration, Senate GOP agree on 2 changes to NY’s gun control

Oneonta, New York – Governor Andrew Cuomo has agreed to change part of the SAFE Act pertaining to ammunition, according to NYS Senator James Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta).

Cuomo’s state operations director and Republican Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan signed the agreement that rolls back, at least for now, a piece of Cuomo’s signature gun law that was passed in January 2013, just weeks after the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

The state also will lift the ban on Internet sales…

The memorandum of understanding suspends a provision in the SAFE Act requiring the creation of a database to determine whether individuals are eligible to make ammunition purchases. It also ends the moratorium on on-line purchases of ammunition.

The measure was popular in New York City and on Long Island, but it cost Cuomo much of his upstate and Republican support, which has contributed to his historic lows in recent polls. Jim Seward, one of the most vocal SAFE Act critics in the state Legislature, acknowledged that it’s the first time any changes have been made to the gun control law.

“It has been very clear that such a database would be an infringement on Second Amendment rights and technologically problematic, so I am glad that it is finally being recognized as the poorly thought-out concept that it is”.

Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, thanked Senate Republicans for pushing to “partially repeal portions of the SAFE Act”.

Mike Murphy, spokesman for Senate Democrats who strongly supported the original SAFE Act, called the changes “outrageous…”

Azzopardi said the ammunition background checks and database could be revived when technology improves.

“This simply acknowledges what has been said previously – the ammunition sales database will not be prematurely introduced until the technology is ready and it does not create an undue burden for business owners”.

The deal was signed by Senate Majority Leader (left) John Flanagan and top Cuomo aide Jim Malatras.