NEW YORK – Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris announced on December 23 that his legislation (S.1251/A.7243) to take on the “Iron Pipeline” and use data to fight gun trafficking has been signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.

“Stopping the ‘Iron Pipeline’ is possible if New York leads the way. Despite having among the toughest gun laws in the country, our state experiences too many gun-related deaths due to firearms originating elsewhere,” said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris. “While the federal government will not take action to combat gun violence, New York should use data to expose states that are part of the problem. I am pleased Governor Hochul signed this important measure into law.”

Senator Gianaris’ bill requires New York State to publish a quarterly report about the origins of guns used in crimes. According to a 2015 analysis by the New York Times, two-thirds of guns used in crimes in New York were imported from other states.

“New York State has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the country yet guns trafficked from weak-gun-law states continue to plague our communities and take lives every single day,” said Rebecca Fischer, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. “This new law will improve accountability and transparency, revealing the states responsible for the senseless gun violence impacting New Yorkers. We applaud Senator Gianaris and Assembly Member Richardson for championing this legislation and are proud to see Governor Hochul sign this life-saving bill into law.”

“Having updated, complete information on crime guns in our state is crucial to continuing the fight against gun violence,” said Melissa Gallo, a volunteer with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Publishing crime gun data, including information on where and by whom those guns were first purchased, can help us gain a fuller understanding of the scope of the gun violence crisis, the impact of interstate gun trafficking, and what actions we must take to ensure the safety of New York communities. We are delighted to see Governor Hochul sign this important bill.”