Senate Passes Gianaris Gun Origin Registry Legislation, Taking On The "Iron Pipeline" And Fighting Gun Trafficking

ALBANY, N.Y. – Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris announced the Senate passed his legislation (S.4442A), mandating the state’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) establish a database tracking the state and county of origin of guns used in crimes in New York. This proposal would tackle the “Iron Pipeline,” whereby guns purchased in states with lax gun laws are brought into New York and used in crimes.

“Stopping the ‘Iron Pipeline’ is possible if New York leads the way. Despite having among the toughest gun laws in the country, our state experiences too many gun-related crimes due to firearms originating elsewhere,” said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris.“While the federal government will not take action to combat gun violence, New York should use data to expose states that are part of the problem. I am pleased the Senate has passed this crucial legislation today.”

“We applaud the Senate for passing Senator Gianaris’s iron pipeline bill to thwart illegal gun trafficking and protect the lives of New Yorkers,” said Rebecca Fischer, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.  “New York State has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the country but firearms trafficked from weak-gun-law states continue to cause senseless tragedy.   This legislation will strengthen New York’s capacity to track the origin of crime guns and prevent them from flowing into our communities.”

“We know that the systems used to protect New Yorkers are only as good as the information that goes into them,” said June Rubin, New York Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We're grateful to lawmakers for strengthening the safeguards to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them.”

Senator Gianaris’ bill requires DCJS and the New York State Police to publish a quarterly report about the origins of guns used in crimes. According to a 2015 analysis by the New York Times, two-thirds of guns used in crimes in New York were imported from other states.