HOYT, PEOPLES PROPOSE LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS GUN SALES, STORAGE

Legislation would help keep guns out of the hands of criminals

Assemblymember Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo, Grand Island) and Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples announced today legislation they will soon introduce which will create new safety measures for gun sales and store security.

 

Hoyt said, “The surest means of reducing gun violence is to reduce the number of unlicensed, unregistered guns in the hands of criminals. Tightening security measures at licensed dealers and cracking down on sellers who skirt the laws is the first step in combating gun violence in our city.” 

 

“As a member of the original fifteen Mayors from across the country that formed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, now numbering well over one hundred mayors nationwide, who were brought together by Mayor Bloomberg of New York City and Mayor Menino of Boston, I have advocated for greater protection against the trafficking of illegal guns and for stiffer penalties for those that sell illegal guns,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “I applaud Assemblymembers Hoyt and Peoples for proposing this legislation that will help eradicate illegal guns from our streets.  The recent thefts of guns from pawn shops during the October storm illustrates the need for this type of legislation.”

 

The first bill would prohibit gun sales by pawn shops, which are commonly used by criminals to fence stolen goods, and often operate on the margins of the law. It is widely known that pawn shops do not follow existing regulations for gun purchases, making them desirable for people who wish to avoid the lengthy and traceable procedures to purchase and license a gun legally.

 

The second bill is a study bill to evaluate and recommend minimum security requirements for businesses that sell guns. Currently under New York State law there are no required security measures for retail outlets that sell guns leading to potentially dangerous situations in the event of a break-in. The Brady Campaign has lobbied the Federal government to enact legislation that would mandate security standards for gun dealers. 

 

Recently during the power outage from the October storm, Kary’s Jewelry and Loan on Bailey Avenue was burglarized. Thieves took advantage of the power outage to steal guns from the store. Additionally, Kary’s, along with Graham’s Jewelry in Cheektowaga, was recently indicted on federal charges for illegal sales of firearms.

 

Hoyt continued, “In the past few months we have seen two egregious examples of improper gun storage by sellers resulting in more guns in the hands of criminals. Bucky Phillips’ alleged theft of more than 40 guns from a Chautauqua County gun shop and the Kary robbery painfully illustrate how easy it is for guns to fall into the wrong hands. It should be virtually impossible for an individual to break into any establishment that sells guns, and it is unacceptable that New York State has no such regulations. This must be stopped.” 

 

Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples concluded, "Criminals with illegal guns are a recipe for catastrophic disaster on our children, our families, our community and our city.   Too many families are burying their children in a senseless web of gun violence. With this new legislation, we can make the laws tougher and the penalties steeper, so that the flow of illegal gun trade is alleviated."  

 

Crystal D. Peoples represents the 141^st Assembly District.