ALBANY – State leaders are “95 percent” of the way to an agreement on tougher gun legislation, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said today.
The deal is expected to strengthen the state’s assault weapons ban and limit the capacity of gun magazines, but Silver (D-Manhattan) also said he expects it to include stiffer penalties for illegal gun use – as Senate Republicans have been pushing.
“New York leads the nation in everything; it’s time we lead the nation in this,” Silver told reporters.
Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn) echoed Silver’s 95 percent assessment to the Associated Press.
Gov. Cuomo is expected to unveil a gun law proposal during his State of the State speech today.
“Public safety will be a big element,” director of state operations Howard Glaser said.
But Cuomo won’t talk about the hot potato political issue of fracking.
“It is in a review period,” Glaser told Post state columnist Fredric U. Dicker on Albany’s Talk 1300 AM radio. “Hydrofracking has to be left to the regulatory process so we don’t get ahead of it.”
Glaser said the governor will devote about 20 percent of the speech toward Hurricane Sandy.
“You will see on the Sandy piece some thoughtful, broad, short- and long-term efforts to rebuild New York,” he said. “I think they’re common sense. Some are bold but sensible. We’re hopeful we’ll see the federal funding.”
Glaser said Cuomo will propose to “build back better … so that we don’t face the same kind of damage” from future storms.
Glaser said Cuomo will also focus on job creation and tourism, creating “a healthy environment for businesses to grow. That includes workforce development and how to link jobs back to the most innovative things happening in our economy.”
He also said education “will be a big piece” of the speech, along with “government reform.”