Mineola, NY – Nassau County Executive Laura Curran recently stood with New Yorkers Against Gun Violence in support of Legislator Ellen Birnbaum’s proposal to strengthen requirements for securing firearms.
“This legislation will be instrumental in protecting our residents, especially our children, from the unsafe storage of firearms,” said Curran. “The data shows that the likelihood of death or injury from unintentional shootings, from impulsive acts of domestic violence, and self-inflicted harm are significantly increased in households where firearms are unsecured, unlocked and accessible to children.”
Under Birnbaum’s legislation gun owners would be required to properly secure firearms in a safe storage depository or safety locking device.
“A critical component of responsible gun ownership is ensuring that firearms are stored in a manner that keep them out of the hands of children and individuals who should not have access to firearms, “Legislator Birnbaum said. “Through this proposal, Nassau County can eliminate any ambiguity that might exist on what it means to safely store a gun. I call on my colleagues in the majority to support this common-sense proposal and schedule a public hearing. We ow it to our children and our communities to act.
Similar legislation is already in effect in 27 states and Washington, D.C., and no fewer than seven New York municipalities – including Albany, Saratoga Springs, Westchester County, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and New York City.
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