State Senate, Assembly Democrats push for gun violence prevention

In the wake of the shooting at Michigan State University, Senate and Assembly Democrats gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday morning in support of gun violence prevention measures.

The lawmakers also held a moment of silence for the victims in Michigan.

The bills they are pushing include lifting barriers to compensation for victims of gun violence. They also want to make it easier for hospitals to treat gun violence patients.

The goal is to help victims of gun violence get access to treatment, trauma care and money no matter how much money they have.

Our local Assemblywoman Pat Fahy is proposing a bill to tax bullets. The goal is to use the money for a fund to address trauma and gun violence.

Fahy also said even if sales don’t go down, it can help create a fund to address the “horrific and expensive” tragedies.

That’s just one issue Democrats are trying to address.

“Guns are trafficked from weak gun law states into our most vulnerable under-resourced neighborhoods, and in fact over 80% of the guns recovered in crimes in the state come from out of state, and are trafficked up I-95, the iron pipeline,” said Rebecca Fisher, with New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

“Criminals are not going to go into a gun store and buy ammunition, because they need to show ID to buy it in New York right now,” said Tom King, the Executive Director of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association. “This is going to do nothing but put a burden on the gun-owning taxpayer of New York state”

The goal would be to pass that series of bills this year.