New York Passes New Law To Protect Children From Accidental Gun Violence

The Second Amendment is one of the foundational pieces of American law. It allows individuals the right to bear arms, and that right cannot be infringed.

Unfortunately, things aren't the same as they were 250 years ago, and New York is taking steps to protect the Second Amendment while keeping our children safe from needless gun violence.

Ammunition Safety

On Wednesday, October 21st, Governor Kathy Hochul passed two new laws, both relating to gun control across the state. The first, S.7236/A.7943, changes the requirements for purchasing ammunition.

Michael M. Santiago, Getty Images

Now, anyone hoping to buy ammo must pass the same background checks as someone purchasing a firearm. This stops people who are not legally allowed to purchase a firearm from purchasing ammo to use. Specifically, it states that anyone prohibited from owning a rifle or shotgun, or subject to a temporary or extreme risk protection order is not allowed to purchase ammunition.

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Francesco’s Law

The second law is known as "Francesco's Law", and passed on the fifth anniversary of the passing of a 17-year-old who died after accessing an unsecured shotgun. The law, titled A.1962-B/S.9629, requires all gun owners in the state of New York to store their firearms in a locked storage container when not in use.

It also strengthens the penalties for when minors access these guns. With these two new laws in place, New York hopes that they can continue allowing Americans their right to bear arms while keeping New York a safer, and smarter state.

Nearly $4 billion has been spent in service of public safety initiatives and combating senseless gun violence.