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New York Governor Kathy Hochul proposed yesterday additional action to strengthen and close loopholes in state gun laws in wake of the mass shooting in Texas which killed 21 people, 19 who were children.
“The horrific shooting of 19 children and two teachers in Texas, not even two weeks after the mass murder of ten New Yorkers in Buffalo, is yet another infuriating reminder of the plague of gun violence facing our nation,” Governor Hochul said. “These are steps we shouldn’t have to take, but I am convening an emergency meeting of the state’s School Safety Improvement Team and directing State Police to increase visibility at schools to make sure we are doing everything in our power to prevent the next tragedy. My administration will continue working to strengthen the gun laws in our state and put an end to these horrific acts, so that everyone—from schoolchildren to those shopping for groceries to those visiting houses of worship—can live without fear that their lives will be cut short by a weapon of war.”
The package included the issuing of two key Executive Orders. The first Executive Order will establish a new unit within the Office of Counterterrorism dedicated solely to the prevention of domestic terrorism, while also establishing a dedicated State Police unit to track domestic violent extremism through social media. The second Executive Order will require State Police to file for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) under New York State’s Red Flag Law whenever they have probable cause to believe that an individual is a threat to themselves or others.
