Gov. Cuomo Signs Gun Control Law Tuesday Night - FOX44 - Burlington / Plattsburgh News, Weather & Sports

Gov. Cuomo Signs Gun Control Law Tuesday Night

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ALBANY, N.Y. -

New York has become the first state to dramatically tighten its gun laws after last month's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the NY SAFE Act (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act) Tuesday night.

"The new law will limit gun violence through common sense, reasonable reforms that include addressing the risks posed by mentally ill people who have access to guns and banning high capacity magazines and lethal assault weapons," Governor Cuomo said in a press release. "This legislation is not about hunters, sportsmen, or legal owners who use their guns appropriately. It is about reducing gun violence and making New York a safer place to live.

The law aims to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, people who make threats and requires background checks on ammunitions.

The law expands the ban on assault weapons and requires that law enforcement be informed of large ammunition purchases.

The laws also increases penalties for some gun crimes and it places new restrictions on gun ownership for people with mental illness.

Some upstate lawmakers and members of the mental health community have voiced their concerns over the law.

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