A slew of gun control bills, including one preventing teachers from carrying guns on school grounds, were passed by New York legislators Tuesday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted the bills, which include a bump stock ban and an extension to the background check period, as “common sense” at a morning news conference.
“No one wants to take guns from legal owners who are mentally healthy,” he said. “We don’t want people who are mentally ill or past felons to have guns. That’s all this is. Any reasonable American who looks at what’s going on in this country, I believe, agrees with that.”
New York already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Cuomo signed the SAFE Act in 2013, which requires universal background checks on all gun purchases and bans certain types of assault weapons.
The Democrat-controlled Senate and Assembly easily passed the package of six bills Tuesday afternoon.
Scroll down to read more about the bills.
Preventing armed teachers
Teachers and other school officials at K-12 schools will not be allowed to carry guns on school grounds. Only security officers, school resource officers or law enforcement officers will have authority to do so.
After the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, President Donald Trump voiced support for arming teachers, and several states allow teachers to carry firearms. New York will be one of the few states banning teachers from having them at school.
Extreme risk protection orders
Known as the “Red Flag bill,” the legislation will give law enforcement officials, family members and some school officials the right to petition a court to temporarily remove guns from an individual who could be a danger to themselves or others.
Background checks
The background check period will be extended to up to 30 calendar days. “Right now, it’s if you’re not rejected in three days, you can buy a gun,” Cuomo said.
Bump stock ban
Bump stocks, or devices that accelerate a firearm’s rate of fire, will be prohibited. “They make no sense,” Cuomo said. “The only purpose is rapid fire without any specific aiming.”
Gun buybacks
The State Police will be required to set a statewide standard for gun buyback programs, allowing for the safe removal of illegal, unsecured, abandoned or unwanted guns.
Out-of-state mental health records
Out-of-state gun permit applicants will be required to give New York permitting authorities access to out-of-state mental health records.
