The battle over NY's SAFE Act gun control continues to heat up. As of Feb 24, forty-seven of sixty-two counties have either passed or have pending resolutions in opposition to the law.
The Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act of 2013 is the most restrictive gun control law in the country. It was signed into law on 19 January presumably in response to the horrific shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
A massive 2nd Amendment gun rights protest is planned in Albany on Feb 28th.
This rally, sponsored by: National Rifle Association, NSRPA, activist JJ Johnson–Smith and the Second Amendment Foundation has proven to be very popular. The rally will feature various speakers, including the NRA president David Keene. Buses are being organized from across the state to carry gun rights advocates to this protest. Second buses are being added in several locations due to the high turn-out, despite the $25 charge for the ride.
The Service Employee International Union (SEIU) announced today that it is organizing a counter-demonstration in favor of Governor Cuomo and the SAFE Act.
According to the SEIU website, "1199SEIU members are going to the State Capitol in Albany to take on the NRA and big gun companies – and defend the Governor’s NY SAFE Act that protects our families!" The flyer announcing their march yesterday stated their purpose as "Now is the time to defend the NY SAFE Act, the law passed last month that takes deadly weapons out of the wrong hands."
The SEIU is organizing free buses from nine locations in and around NY City and Long Island and is offering the protesters a free breakfast and lunch for attending.
On Feb 4, Ulster County became the first to pass a resolution in defiance of the new gun control measure. Their resolution stated "The Ulster County Legislature does hereby oppose, and request the repeal of, any legislation, including the sections within the NY SAFE Act (Chapter1 of the Laws of 2013), which infringe upon the right of the people to keep and bear arms."
Since then, twenty-four other counties have passed similar resolutions. These counties are:
- Cattaraugus County
- Erie County
- Fulton County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Herkimer County
- Lewis County
- Livingston County
- Madison County
- Niagara County
- Oneida County
- Orange County
- Orleans County
- Oswego County
- Putnam County
- Rensselaer County
- Rockland County
- Schoharie County
- Tioga County
- Ulster County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- Wyoming County
- Yates County
The New York Association of Counties has also passed a resolution in opposition to the restrictive gun control law as has the NY State Sheriffs' Association.
The sheriffs of Dutchess, Saratoga, Erie, Schuyler, and Steuben counties has all made statements rejecting all or part of the SAFE Act. Albany has also received resolutions from sixteen municipalities from around the state seeking the law's repeal.
An resolution was also passed by the NY Association of County Clerks. This was in response to the numerous unfunded mandates that the law passed down to the counties. These include the registration of rifles that takes effect next year, renewing pistol permits and the filing of the "opt-out" forms that allow gun owners to keep their information private.
Twenty-two counties have similar resolutions pending in their respective legislatures. St. Lawrence County is holding a public forum on their resolution tomorrow night and will hold their vote thereafter. Several other counties are expected to pass their anti-SAFE Act resolutions this week as well.
The following counties have resolutions pending in their legislatures that oppose the new gun control law:
- Allegany County
- Association of Erie County Governments
- Cayuga County
- Chemung County
- Chenango County
- Chautauqua County
- Chemung County
- Columbia County
- Cortland County
- Delaware County
- Dutchess County
- Genesee County
- Jefferson County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Onondaga County
- Ontario County
- Otsego County
- Saint Lawrence County
- Schuyler County
- Steuben County
Governor Cuomo pushed the bill through the legislature by declaring a statement of necessity. This provision of the NY Constitution allows a vote on a bill without the standard three day review period.
Now, only time will tell if the governor or the legislators will find it a political necessity to rethink the law from the degree of public outcry.
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