As reported by the Queens Chronicle on 2.22.18 (emphasis added):
On Feb. 6, the New York State Senate’s Democratic Conference, as it has done in the past, released a package of legislation that it touted as being able to curb gun violence, with nine bills including measures dealing with weapons themselves, mental health issues and extended waiting periods for firearms purchases…
But legislation similar to that proposed on Feb. 6 routinely is passed in the Democratic-controlled State Assembly, only to fail, or not even come up for a vote, in the Republican-led state Senate.
The last major changes to state gun laws occurred in 2013 when the Legislature and Gov. Cuomo passed the SAFE Act, which dealt with assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and mental health considerations, among others in the wake of the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings in Connecticut the month before.
State Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria), author of a pending bill to create a 10-day waiting period to allow for background checks before purchasing a gun, wondered this week if such bipartisanship can manifest itself this year…
The Chronicle contacted the office of every state senator from Queens and a handful of Assembly members, all Democrats. All who responded said they favor some sort of new gun control legislation, including an exasperated Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr…
The key to passage, however, appears to be held by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Suffolk). While Democrats have a numeric majority in the chamber, Democrat Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) caucuses with the GOP, and the eight-member Independent Democratic Conference — including Sens. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) — have a power-sharing agreement with the GOP.
Read the full story here in the Chronicle.
— Posted on 2.23.18 by JVS, backdated to 2.22.18
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