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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs package strengthening state's gun laws

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a collection of bills aimed at strengthening the state's gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store that killed 10 people last month. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a collection of bills aimed at strengthening the state's gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store that killed 10 people last month. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

June 6 (UPI) -- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package Monday strengthening the state's gun laws in the wake of multiple mass shootings in recent weeks including one in Buffalo.

The package includes measures to prohibit the sale of semiautomatic weapons to people younger than 21, bans the sales of body armor to people outside of certain professions, strengthens the state's so-called "red flag" law and seeks to eliminate loopholes for gun purchases.

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"Gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing our country apart. Thoughts and prayers won't fix this, but taking strong action will," Hochul said. "In New York, we're taking bold steps to protect the people of our state."

One bill included in the package mandates that a firearm license will be required to purchase a semiautomatic rifle, in conjunction with an existing state law requiring individuals to be at least 21 years old to obtain a permit.

Another prohibits the sale of body vests to people who do not work as law enforcement officers or other professions to be designated by the New York State Department, in addition to requiring that all body vest sales be completed in person.

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Hochul also signed a bill allowing mental health care practitioners who have examined an individual within the last six months to petition for a person's firearms to be temporarily seized under the state's red flag law.

The measure also changes a statute to ensure that mental health practitioners' reports on potentially harmful people are considered when deciding whether or not to grant a firearm license.

Under the expanded red flag law, police and district attorneys are required to file petitions to seize firearms from individuals for whom they have "credible information" indicating they are likely to harm themselves or others.

One bill expands the definition of "firearm" to include any weapon that "may readily be converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive" in order to cover firearms that have been modified to be shot from an arm brace.

It further eliminates the grandfathering of large capacity ammunition feeding devices that were previously purchased lawfully and establishes the crimes of making a threat of mass harm and aggravated making a threat of mass harm.

The action comes after an 18-year-old gunman shot and killed 10 people at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y., in what is being investigated as a "racially motivated" mass shooting.

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