A ban on bump stocks and other rapid-fire modifications to guns is now in effect in New York State. On Nov. 26, the ban on the possession, manufacture, transport, shipment and sale of such items became law, closing a statutory loophole. The federal ban went into effect in March, following several mass shootings.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the state bill into law in late July, but it did not go into effect until late last month.
Anyone found in possession of such devices will face a Class A misdemeanor criminal charge, punishable by up to a year in jail. Manufacturing of rapid-fire devices or transporting or shipping them is a Class E felony, and those found guilty face two to five years in prison.
"These devices turn firearms into military-style assault weapons and make it possible for shooters to slay numerous people in the blink of an eye," said Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. "They have no place in New York."
Bump stocks and other devices that accelerate the rate of fire of firearms came to the forefront following the mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead in 2017. Bump stocks, or trigger cranks, are attached to semi-automatic weapons. Machine guns, and firearms that simulate machine guns, were already illegal under New York law,
Assemblyman Thiele said the ban further protects New Yorkers from gun violence. He pointed to other gun safety measures, including the Red Flag Bill, which prevents people who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm, passed in February. Last year, the Assembly passed the Domestic Violence Escalation Prevention Act law, which prohibits someone convicted of a domestic violence crime from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
"New Yorkers shouldn't have to worry about losing their lives to gun violence doing everyday things. The Assembly has taken action against these tragedies, but there is still more to do. I'll continue fighting to keep guns out of the wrong hands and protect our families from senseless acts of violence."
