NY passes 1st US gun control law since massacre

By Michael Virtanen

Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, Jan. 15 2013 3:41 p.m. MST

Summary

New York has become the first state to dramatically stiffen its gun laws after last month's massacre at a Connecticut elementary school.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York has become the first state to dramatically stiffen its gun laws after last month's massacre at a Connecticut elementary school.

With Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signature Tuesday, parts of the measure that sped through the Legislature in two days take effect immediately.

The law calls for a tougher assault weapons ban and provisions to try to keep guns away from mentally ill people who make threats.

It also calls for background checks on ammunition, a ban on large magazines, stiffer penalties for gun crimes and background checks even on private sales, such as those at gun shows.

Mental health professionals will be required to report any patient who they believe to be a threat to use a gun illegally. The patient's gun could be confiscated.

Featured Comments

See all 3 comments »

joseywales

Park City, UT

Why do we have to ban something that 99.9% of owners use lawfully and legally, yet because a few idiots use it with ill intent, we have to ban it? Ridiculous.I like some of what the law in NY is doing. Mentally ill people shouldn't have weapons. More..

4:48 p.m. Jan. 15, 2013
Top comment

worf

Mcallen, TX

What about abortion massacres?

Our leaders are hypocrites.

9:38 a.m. Jan. 16, 2013
Top comment

Tolstoy

salt lake, UT

joseywales
how sad that you may have to spend an extra five minutes shopping at wally world before going target shooting, way to inconvenient to potential prevent a tragedy , right? i think you are right we need a revaluation surely the loss of More..

9:38 p.m. Jan. 15, 2013
Top comment

Comments