Metro

Cuomo: Toughen state, federal assault weapon bans

ALBANY – Gov. Cuomo today called for toughening assault weapon bans at both the state and federal levels in the wake of last week’s elementary school massacre in Connecticut.

“There’s no doubt that our (state) assault weapons ban, our assault weapons law, has significant flaws and significant loopholes,” he told reporters at the state Capitol. “You basically grandfather in all magazines pre-1994. To me, it’s just a glaring omission.

“Much of the law is on the cosmetics of the gun — the design of the gun — rather than the capacity of it, so there’s no question in my mind the law needs to be improved,” he added.

The state’s ban does not cover the kind of semi-automatic weapon crazed gunman Adam Lanza used in the Newtown massacre that left 20 first-graders and at least half a dozen adults dead.

But Cuomo said strengthening the federal assault weapons ban would be more effective since guns can easily be transported across state lines.

“You have to go back to the (federal) assault weapons ban and make it a real assault weapons ban, and that would be the first step,” said Cuomo, who also favors requiring microstamping of ammunition.

Legislative Democrats in New York say they favor expanding the number of guns covered by the state’s assault weapons ban, but Republicans – who will be part of a bipartisan ruling coalition in the state Senate – have resisted and are focused on cracking down on illegal gun use.

Cuomo today also said the mental health system and a national “culture of violence” need to be re-examined in the wake of the shootings.

“I think there’s a culture of violence, especially among young people,” he said. “Maybe it’s always been that way – it was always cops and robbers or playing war games – but I think it’s a more intense culture of violence. Some of the (video) games, some of the videos make it so graphic, and they’re so pervasive.

“I believe that’s part of it,” he added. “I believe the mental health system is part of it. I believe part of it is guns and the proliferation of guns.”

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver called for a total assault weapon ban and said tougher gun laws would serve as a “memorial” to the children who died in Connecticut.

“We should ban all types of assault weapons, all types of magazines that go with them,” said Silver (D-Manhattan).

He noted assault weapon, microstamping and child safety lock legislation have all died in the state Senate.

“The incident in Connecticut … if that isn’t impetus enough to change that outcome in the Senate, I don’t think anything else will,” he said.