Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the “Red Flag” gun control bill into law Monday morning at John Jay College in Manhattan.
New York now becomes the first in the nation to allow teachers and school officials to seek orders to remove guns from people who are a threat to themselves or others.
The new law is meant to prevent people who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms.
While 13 states and Washington, D.C. have enacted similar laws, New York’s is different because teachers and school officials can seek the order.
The new law, which takes effect in about six months, is the latest bill signed by Cuomo. In 2013, he signed the SAFE Act, which expanded background checks, and banned assault weapons.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were nearly 40,000 deaths caused by guns last year.
Joining Gov. Cuomo on stage was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is now urging Congress to pass a red flag bill on the federal level.
The NRA says it opposes the law because it could take away someone’s constitutional rights. Long Island resident Marilyn Cohen, who is a part of the Sportsmen’s Association for Firearms Education, says she thinks the bill is a good idea in theory but sees it going down a slippery slope.
