Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has signed into law a bill that blocks people convicted of some domestic violence misdemeanors from buying firearms. The governor said the bill, A698/S4244, closes a gap between federal and state anti-domestic violence laws. Previously, federal statutes allowed those found guilty of some domestic violence-related misdemeanors to avoid the prohibition against possessing firearms if information about their convictions was not transmitted to the FBI’s national criminal background check system.
Under the new law, after a conviction of the added offenses judges are to notify the Division of Criminal Justice Services, which is to immediately pass the information to the FBI. The offenses include the newly added crimes of “criminal obstruction of breathing”—intentional, non-fatal choking or strangulation—and certain misdemeanors of forcible touching. The requirements go into effect in 120 days. Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, and Senator Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, sponsored the bill.
