STATE SENATOR PERSAUD, BROOKLYN BP ERIC ADAMS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER SIMON ANNOUNCE NEW STATE LEGISLATURE

Senator Persaud, BP Adams, Assemblywoman Simon

December 20, 2015

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud, and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon announced new state legislation on ammunition control in an effort to address a series of deadly mass shootings nationwide that includes this month’s terror attack in San Bernardino, where authorities have determined that thousands of rounds were purchased in the lead-up to the assault. Borough President Adams, a NYPD veteran and key figure in the passage of the NY Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act, worked alongside State Senator Persaud and Assembly Member Simon, the measure’s lead sponsors, to craft the bills as they prepare for the upcoming legislative session in Albany. Along with leading anti-gun violence advocates, they spoke about the need for New York to be safer from unchecked mass shooters.

“There is a duty to act, a responsibility to put public safety first, in the face of the blood-soaked carnage of mass shootings, made possible by the calculated and unrestricted stockpiling of thousands of deadly ammunition rounds,” said Borough President Adams. “When terrorists seek – and succeed – to take advantage of our loose laws to murder innocent people, it is clear we as a nation need to change course. Rational ammunition control is something that every New Yorker can agree on following San Bernardino, Colorado Springs, and the hundreds of mass shootings that have happened in America this year alone.”

“We cannot continue to sit back while experiencing increasing acts of gun violence,” said State Senator Persaud. “Limiting the quantity and duration between purchases of ammunition is one step in preventing someone with criminal intent from easily accessing large quantities of ammunition. By placing this barrier, we will save lives.”

“If I have a cold I can’t buy Sudafed without ID, but I can walk into any gun shop and walk out with enough bullets to arm a small army without showing any kind of ID,” said Assembly Member Simon. “I can buy any kind of bullets regardless of what kind of gun I own. I don’t even have to own a gun to stock up on bullets. Nothing stops me from having friends buy even more bullets for me. The sky is the limit. The San Bernardino shooters had 6,000 rounds of ammunition. We need this legislation so that cannot happen here.”

Under the proposal from Borough President Adams, State Senator Persaud, and Assembly Member Simon, Section 270.00 of the New York State Penal Law would be amended to prevent gun dealers from selling ammunition for a firearm to anyone unauthorized to have such a weapon, regardless of the weapon type; under the current code, only pistols and revolvers are specifically regulated, creating a loophole for those seeking to purchase ammunition for assault weapons. Penalty for the violation of this law would also be increased from a Class B misdemeanor, or not more than three months in jail and not more than $500 in fines, to a Class E felony, or up to four years in prison with a minimum of one year. Additionally, the new measure would create a cap on the amount of ammunition that a person can purchase over a period of 90 days, corresponding to no more than twice the amount of the capacity of the weapon.

“Regulating ammunition is an often overlooked aspect of gun safety legislation,” said Leah Gunn Barrett, executive director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. “Bullets give a firearm its lethality. Dealers should not only sell pistols to licensed gun owners who can pass a background check but they should also ensure that the ammunition they sell is designed for the licensee's weapon. This bill is designed to keep ammunition out of the hands of unlicensed users and to prevent the illegal trafficking of ammunition. In addition to this legislation, we expect the Governor to expedite the development and implementation of the point of sale background check system that was included in the 2013 SAFE Act.”

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CONTACT:

Stefan Ringel

Office of Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams

sringel@brooklynbp.nyc.gov

(917) 574-3277

Lateef Turral

Office of State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud

turral@nysenate.gov

(718) 877-5427

Michael Stinson

Chief of Staff