Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“We will not allow [tourists] to live in fear or distrust that someone is walking around with a gun ready to harm them,” said Mayor Adams.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday signed two bills aimed at tackling the scourge of gun violence in New York City and ensure that the city is safer for all, especially in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
The first of the bills helps to track data from illegal gun trafficking within New York City, while the second bill designates the new boundaries of the Times Square sensitive location, which prohibits the concealed carrying of firearms within the sensitive zone, even by permit.
“Millions of New Yorkers and tourists flock to Times Square to see Broadway shows, enjoy a good meal, and take photos of the neon billboards, and we will not allow them to live in fear or distrust that someone is walking around with a gun ready to harm them,” said Adams. “Today, with the signing of Intro. 602, we enshrine into law that Times Square is a gun free zone, and Intro. 518-A will help us address the flow of illegal guns into our city. We will continue to work with our partners on the City Council to dam the many rivers feeding the sea of gun violence and keep New Yorkers safe.”
Intro 518-A requires MOCJ to coordinate with the NYPD to conduct a study and issue an annual report to the mayor and City Council speaker on the trafficking of illegal firearms into New York City. The report — required to be submitted no later than December 1st of this year and annually thereafter — will include information on each firearm seized or surrendered to the NYPD, such as the date and location the firearm was seized, the type of firearm, whether the firearm was connected to a crime, and other information relevant to tracking the trafficking of illegal firearms. Additionally, the study and report will include a review of the ways firearms are illegally transported into New York City, and recommendations on how municipalities, states, and the federal government can better collaborate to prevent the transportation of illegal firearms, as well as other recommendation on efforts to reduce gun violence.
Intro. 602-A defines the boundaries of the Times Square sensitive location, in accordance with the state’s recently passed Concealed Carry Improvement Act. The legislation also authorizes the NYPD to promulgate rules to implement the bill, including rules applicable, as appropriate, to those with a concealed carry license who live or work in the area commonly known as Times Square.
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s harmful decision to strike down New York’s century-old gun laws places New Yorkers at risk of increased gun violence,” said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “After our partners in the State Legislature passed sensible legislation to limit the areas where a person can carry a weapon, the Council completed its duty to define the Times Square area, one of the ‘sensitive locations’ where strict firearm regulations are enforced. This bill and Council Member Abreu’s legislation to study and report on the trafficking of illegal firearms represent important efforts to prevent an exacerbation of the gun violence crisis. We remain deeply committed to addressing the root causes of this crisis and pursuing solutions and investments that keep our communities safe.”
