Assemblyman Thiele: Legislation Bans Undetectable Guns, Continues Assembly’s Efforts to Prevent Gun Violence
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, REF - Sag Harbor) announced that he passed legislation criminalizing the manufacture, sale, transport and possession of firearms, rifles, shotguns or the major components of such weapons that are undetectable by a metal detector and other machines commonly used for security purposes (A.763-A).
“Places we used to frequent without a second thought – movie theaters, schools, houses of worship – have become sites of tragic mass shootings,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “And now, with the advancement of technology and creation of undetectable guns, even places with high security may not be safe. By prohibiting these weapons, we can help ensure that crucial safety measures like metal detectors are effectively doing their job.”
Assemblyman Thiele noted that thousands of lives are taken each year by guns. In fact, in 2017, the United States witnessed 39,773 gun deaths, the highest rate in nearly 40 years.[1] Disturbingly, technology has made guns even easier to come by, including undetectable guns, which cannot be detected by metal detectors or other scanning devices used at airports and other populated places. Assemblyman Thiele noted that nearly anyone can go online, download a blueprint and 3D print a gun right off the internet.
The undetectable gun legislation builds on the Assembly’s continued efforts to prevent and reduce gun violence in New York State. Earlier this year, Assemblyman Thiele helped pass a series of bills to keep guns out of the wrong hands, ensure thorough background checks, ban bump stocks and require safe storage (A.2690, A.2684, A.2686-A). The package also included a new law that allows courts to issue an extreme risk protection order (ERPO), prohibiting a person who is determined to be a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a firearm for up to one year (Ch. 19 of 2019).
“The legislation recently passed is another crucial step toward putting an end to senseless gun violence,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “While technology offers great benefits, we can’t let it be used to defy security and put New Yorkers in harm’s way.”
The Senate also passed this legislation. It will be delivered to the Governor for consideration.
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