NY raises age for purchasing semiautomatic weapons to 21
New York has raised the age for purchasing semiautomatic weapons to 21 as part of the gun law package.
Gov. Hochul and state lawmakers announced a deal Tuesday on a package of bills that will tighten New York’s already strict gun laws and raise the minimum age to buy a semiautomatic rifle to 21. This was following a pair of heinous tragedies in the state.
The agreement comes in the wake of mass shootings at a Texas elementary school and a Buffalo supermarket that left dozens dead and prompted renewed calls for change at the national level.
Hochul said New York must step up as it remains unclear if Congress will take action.
“New York already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, but clearly we need to make them even stronger,” the governor said in a statement.
“New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in schools, in grocery stores, in movie theaters, in shopping malls, and on our streets — and we must do everything in our power to protect them.”
The package also includes measures prohibiting the sale and purchase of body armor for anyone not in law enforcement and closing the “any other weapon” loophole that allows the sale of certain weapons that would otherwise be banned.
Another bill could lead to the microstamping of ammunition. Currently, licenses and permits are needed only for handguns.
The state police will also be required to conduct inspections of gun dealers every three years.
