Mayors from 11 New York cities have called on leadership in the state legislature to enact a stricter gun law in the state.

The letter, addressed to State Senate leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, urges the leaders to take action and pass a law that would hold “bad actors” in the gun industry accountable.

The letter states New York neighborhoods suffer greatly as a result of gun violence with an average of 3,400 people shot and killed or wounded by gunfire each year. The letter also claims gun violence costs the state $5.9 Billion a year, $321 Million of that total the mayors claim are taxpayer dollars.

The law they’re asking to be passed would allow more lawsuits to be brought against companies in the gun industry. The mayors who signed the letter say this law would make it clear that gun companies that engage in illegal or unreasonable conduct are creating a public nuisance in the state and can be sued for it.

How are gun manufacturer's protected now? The letter states,

Thanks to a federal law called the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”), the gun industry is shielded from the lawsuits that are most often used in the United States to hold businesses accountable for products or practices that harm people. PLCAA blocks legal responsibility for gun manufacturers that have failed to prevent unintentional shootings by innovating and making guns safer, and for irresponsible, reckless and negligent sales practices that contribute to the flood of illegal firearms in our communities. But there is an exception to the PLCAA shield for gun dealers and manufacturers whose misconduct violates state law.

That is why these mayors are calling for the passage of S1048a/A6762a this legislative session. This would be a huge problem for Remington Arms and John Piseck of the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency has concerns about it. He released a statement saying,

This bill ( S1048-A/6762-A ) is on the Senate active list today and it will pass. It essentially will shutter gun manufacturers in NYS and creates a private right of action against a manufacturer- this is a huge problem! With RemArms (Remmington Arms) just starting back up this could prevent them from continuing in NY.

The following mayors from the following cities all jointly signed the letter to legislative leaders:

Mayor Kathy Sheehan - City of Albany
Mayor Svante Myrick - City of Ithaca
Mayor Steve Noble - City of Kingston
Mayor Thomas Roach - City of White Plains
Mayor Dan Hall - City of Glens Falls
Mayor Ken Wray - Village of Sleepy Hollow
Mayor Peter Scherer - Village of Pleasantville
Mayor Gary McCarthy - City of Schenectady
Mayor Patrick Madden - City of Troy
Mayor Geoffrey Prime - Village of South Floral Park
Mayor Bruce Tucker - Village of Piermont

You can read the full letter from the mayors below.

NY Mayors Letter to Leaders... by Patricia Fahy

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