Glen Cove, New York – Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) issued the following statement following President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will be directing his administration to tighten restrictions on so-called ‘ghost guns’ – untraceable firearms used by criminals to evade background checks.

“As the sponsor of legislation that will provide New Yorkers with the strongest gun protections in the nation, I commend the actions of President Biden which will enhance protection to our community and our children by creating much more accountability.” 

Lavine is the sponsor of The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act which was recently passed in the Senate.The Ghost Guns Bill requires that any guns made by an individual must be assigned a serial number.The serial number would be created by the gunmaker and then reported to the Department of Criminal Justice Services.The serial number will allow law enforcement to trace the gun back to its owner. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the possession of unfinished frames or receivers without a gunsmith license; prohibits the possession of major components of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun by persons who are otherwise lawfully prohibited from possessing such weapons; and makes it illegal to sell or transfer an unfinished frame or receiver to anyone other than a licensed gunsmith.

Assemblymember Charles Lavine represents New York’s 13^th Assembly District in Nassau County. He presently serves as Chair of the Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Committee on Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Rules and Insurance. Lavine previously served as Chair of the Election Law Committee, Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Guidance, co-Chair of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission and as Chair of the bipartisan Taskforce that produced the Assembly Speaker’s Policy on Sexual Harassment, Retaliation and Discrimination.