Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins Hails New Gun Safety Laws Signed by Gov. Hochul

Today, New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins applauded the Governor’s signing of a gun safety package passed by the state legislature last session. These laws build on the state’s ongoing success in curbing gun-related crimes, with a recent report showing a 47 percent decrease in gun violence statewide since 2021.

“As Majority Leader, I am proud of the bold, sensible steps New York continues to take to reduce gun violence and save lives. The signing of this critical package of gun violence reduction legislation, demonstrates New York’s continued commitment to public safety,” said Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “Together, we are creating safer neighborhoods, keeping firearms out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, and I thank my Senate colleagues, our partners in the Assembly, and Governor Hochul.”

The legislative package signed into law includes five key pieces of legislation that will further strengthen gun safety measures across New York. Bills in the package will, among other things:

• require firearms dealers and gunsmiths to post warnings where firearms are sold and distribute warnings at the time of sale.
• target “pistol converter” devices that allow semi-automatic pistols to fire rapidly or automatically.
• ensure that extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) are tracked by the statewide registry of orders of protection and warrants.
• allow police agencies, rather than individual officers, to act as petitioners in ERPO proceedings, streamlining the process for law enforcement to intervene when individuals pose a danger to themselves or others.

Sen. Stewart-Cousins underscored the effectiveness of legislation passed during her tenure as Majority Leader, noting that law enforcement agencies across the state have seized over 7,700 illegal firearms so far this year, including 569 ghost guns. She added that state initiatives such as the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) program have resulted in a 28 percent decrease in gun violence statewide in 2024 alone, with Yonkers experiencing a 56 percent reduction — the sharpest decline anywhere in the state, according to a recent report from the Division of Criminal Justice Services.