ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A law that went into effect Thursday lengthens the waiting period on certain New York gun purchases from three days to 30 days.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved the measure in July and issued a statement Thursday saying the change will save lives. He also called on the federal government to pass universal background checks.
The Democrat said in the statement that New York has taken action “while the federal government turns a blind eye to the scourge of gun violence ripping our nation apart and continues to allow this bloodshed to take parents and children away from their families.”
The law applies in cases where a federal background check returns an inconclusive response on a potential firearm purchaser.
Extending the state waiting period will give federal authorities more time for the background checks.
The president of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Tom King, has said the law is not necessary and criticized it as “feel-good legislation.”
Dealers were required to hold off on a firearm sale for three days if the background check system returned a “delayed” notification, according to the governor’s office. But, the sale could still move forward after the three-day period even if the background check was not finished.
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Ryan Tarinelli is a corps member for Report for America, a nonprofit organization that supports local news coverage in a partnership with The Associated Press for New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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