|
|
Andrew Cuomo on Gun ControlDemocratic Governor |
Guns not only cost us lives, but they also impose huge economic costs. Emergency rooms treat nearly 500,000 nonfatal gunshot injuries from assaults nationwide, costing an estimated $2 billion a year, half of which cost is borne by the public.
Fear of gun violence invades neighborhoods, causing disruptions in the normal rhythms of life, work and school. That threat depresses property values and puts a drag on economic development.
It does not have to be this way. We can ensure that we promote safe ownership of guns
Our state has had a ban on assault weapons since 2000, but it is so riddled with loopholes that it has become virtually unenforceable. We do not ban large capacity magazines manufactured prior to the enactment of the federal assault weapons ban in 1994--magazines with the capacity to hold upwards of 30, 50, or even 100 rounds. It is virtually impossible for law enforcement to determine whether a large capacity magazine was manufactured prior to 1994, and, as a result, we effectively have no ban.
In order to fix this problem, Gov. Cuomo will propose tightening our assault weapons ban and eliminating large capacity magazines regardless of date of manufacture.
The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.
The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Further restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms"
Massachusetts, Delaware and Puerto Rico are joining the "States for Gun Safety" coalition--a multi-state partnership launched this month to combat the gun violence epidemic. With the addition of these new members, the coalition of states now represents over 35 million Americans and will take action to stop gun-related violence in the face of continued federal inaction.
Governor Cuomo (D-NY) said, "It's time for the horrifying mass shootings that have plagued this country for far too long to spur real action and real policy changes. Our states collectively already have better gun safety laws than the federal government, and by working together to share information and bolster enforcement, we will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and better protect our communities. If the federal government refuses to act, we will work together to enact the important reforms families deserve, and I welcome these new states to our coalition."
The three new states will join NY, CT, NJ, and RI in directing their law enforcement intelligence centers to work cooperatively to trace the use of out-of-state guns in crimes and share information in order to intercept criminals transporting illegal guns across state borders.
Additionally, the partner states will also work together to designate an institute of higher education to join the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, to fill the void left by the federal government's 1996 ban on the use of federal funds to study gun violence which has obstructed research efforts across the nation.
Building on these efforts, the states will also work to push the federal government to adopt common-sense gun safety measures. In order to protect families and communities across the region, the group will call on the federal government to swiftly enact universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and a federal waiting period between the purchase and delivery of guns.
