New York legislators took just two days to pass a new gun control law, making it the first state in the union to do so in response to the school massacre in Connecticut last month.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law Tuesday. As Reuters summarizes: “The bill expands the state’s ban on assault weapons, puts limits on ammunition capacity and has new measures to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.”

The law also mandates a minimum life-without-parole sentence for anyone convicted of killing first responders. That provision might concern civil libertarians, who generally object to legislatures tying the hands of judges.

The NRA called the law “draconian” in a statement and said it was “rushed through the [legislative] process.”

Conservative media mogul and New York resident Rupert Murdoch, meanwhile, responded by calling for federal action on guns. “This is federal imperative, not for states,” he wrote, adding, “Constitution right about guns for self defence and hunting. Founders did not mean modern weapons of war.”

— Posted by Peter Z. Scheer.

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig
In this Article:
#andrew cuomo#gun control#guns#new york#nra#rupert murdoch#sandy hook massacre