NEW YORK — Reducing gun violence was the focus of more new legislation announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Long Island Thursday afternoon.
The state had already announced millions of dollars in grant funding that will be used to fund programs that provide jobs and education to young people or provide intervention for at-risk kids.
Thursday, the governor announced three more bills she's signing, which work to criminalize ghost weapons and close loopholes for people assembling their own firearms.
"We now have a bill that makes it a crime to sell the unfinished frames or receivers where people could actually put together guns and evade our law. Right now that has not been illegal," Hochul said at the press conference.
"We are now criminalizing the sale of ghost guns with this law. And it requires gunsmiths to register and serialize the firearms, the rifles, the shotguns, and unfinished frames and receivers that they assemble."
The legislation package also prohibits the possession of unfinished frames or receivers by anyone other than a licensed gunsmith or dealer in firearms.
Hochul said the new legislation also amends the definition of a disguised gun to help crackdown on the use of guns made to look like toys.
"Gun violence is a public health and public safety crisis that must be dealt with aggressively," said Governor Hochul. "Working with partners at all levels, my administration will continue to crack down on the distribution and possession of dangerous weapons and put an end to the gun violence epidemic."