Politics & Government

State Budget Amendment Suspends a Provision of New York's Gun Law

The portion of the law prohibiting the sale of 10-bullet magazines is shelved indefinitely

 

The Education, Labor & Family Assistance portion of the state budget indefinitely suspended a provision of the SAFE Act, New York’s controversial gun control law, that would prohibit the sale of 10-bullet magazines, reported the Democrat and Chronicle.

The New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law on Jan. 15 of this year banned the sale of magazines holding. The law was set to go into effect on April 15.

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However, according to the new amendment, eight-, nine- or 10-bullet capacity magazines will still be available for purchase after that date— a decision Cuomo and other legislative leaders have said recently that they would support, since gun manufacturers do not yet make seven-round magazines.

Still, gun owners will be able to load no more than seven bullets into the 10-round magazines.

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Other minor tweaks to the gun law were made, including a clarification that the law cannot be “deemed to affect, impair or supersede” any local gun restriction or law.

Gun-rights supporters point to the many minor changes as proof the law is riddled with problems because it was passed in haste, and some are still calling for a full repeal.

Cuomo has indicated he remains open to tweaking the existing law, but has no plans for a full repeal:

“People have the right to be protected from random violence. And criminals and the mentally ill do not have a right to a gun — they don’t,” said Cuomo. “And you need a system and government regulation to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.”


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