"Gun violence in this country is a crisis. The cause is clear: spineless politicians in Washington who refuse to stand up to the NRA and pass common sense reforms. The solution is also clear: New York's strongest-in-the-nation gun laws which have made us the safest big state in the country. But until the federal government acts, states with weak gun laws will continue to endanger New Yorkers at home, and I will not tolerate it," Governor Cuomo said. "This year, I propose a new law to prevent anyone who commits a serious crime in another state from buying or possessing a gun in New York. This new law will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people and save lives. I'm proud that New York continues to show the country that we don't have to live like this - that we can and will end gun violence."
In New York, serious misdemeanors which disqualify individuals from gun ownership include certain domestic violence misdemeanors, forcible touching and other misdemeanor sex offenses, and unlicensed possession of a firearm. In establishing a separate, statutory directive that a person cannot be licensed if they have been convicted of a similar crime in another state, it will authorize licensing entities upon application for a pistol permit to search for such crimes and deny licenses for those with qualifying out of state offenses, and additionally, will prevent renewal if an intervening conviction occurs. Further, each time a purchase is made, a Federal NICS check is completed, which searches for relevant criminal history and will also provide another check on these serious crimes.
