On the eve of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address, which is expected to include a call for greater gun control, the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York yesterday reached out to the governor and legislative leaders seeking support for sweeping reforms of both state and federal laws on guns. In a letter to the state officials, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., president of the group, called for mandatory consecutive sentences for crimes involving firearms; a ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines; requiring firearm owners to renew their licenses periodically; microstamping; giving judges the discretion to revoke firearm licenses of those found mentally incapacitated; and requiring background checks when guns are sold at antique or pawn shops. The group also voiced opposition to a pending federal legislation, the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act, which would require states to honor all permits to carry a concealed weapon, even if issued in another state.
“New York has long been a leader in sound gun control policy while respecting the Second Amendment,” Vance said in a statement. “The proposals we support would strengthen our ability to protect New Yorkers against senseless gun violence by keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals and emotionally disturbed individuals.”
