More attacks upon the SAFE Act, legislatively and administratively.
First, the legislative attack, “Budget Resolution Takes Aim At New York’s SAFE Act“:
“Senate Republicans and their governing partners in the Independent Democratic Conference appear to be targeting New York’s new gun control measure with their one-house budget resolution … Specifically, the resolution would deny Gov. Cuomo’s proposal to provide $3.2 million in funding to the state police “for personal service and contractual services related to the implementation of the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (NY SAFE).” The resolution also seeks to strip $32.7 million in capital funding related to the development of a pistol permit database by the State University of New York …”
The Left often uses this strategy to attack programs it doesn’t like. I’m not optimistic it will work here as I don’t think the Republicans have the balls to stand firm on the issue.
Second, the administrative attack, “VA won’t abide by reporting provisions of SAFE“:
“The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said it will not comply with New York State’s new law requiring mental health providers to report potentially dangerous individuals to state authorities … Mark Ballesteros, spokesperson for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said that the U.S. Constitution forces his agency to follow federal law, not New York’s new rules. “Federal laws safeguarding the confidentiality of veterans’ treatment records do not authorize VA mental-health professionals to comply with this NY State law,” he said in an emailed statement …”
This is what happens when the authors of the bill (Cuomo’s office) don’t bother to do due diligence on the issue. There is a reason for the requirement that bills “age” before they can be voted on, a requirement Cuomo got around by (mis)using a “message of necessity.”
Nuts!