BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Following the deadly mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Fla., New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for more gun control nationwide, and he pointed to New York's gun restrictions as a model.
2 On Your Side set out to VERIFY the potential impact of New York's S.A.F.E. Act if it had been in effect in Florida.
First -- the gun.
Cuomo said on Twitter, "I signed the SAFE Act into law -- which banned assault rifles, including AR-15s". However, that's not accurate. Some AR-15s are legal in New York State, such as those without detachable magazines and other features.
The gun the shooter used in Parkland, however, would have violated the S.A.F.E. Act due to its features that would have classified it as an assault weapon in New York State. It was a Smith & Wesson M&P semi-automatic rifle, according to reports.
As far as age, much has been made of the fact that the teenage shooter purchased the rifle, even though he would have been too young to buy a pistol (must be 21 or older). The NY S.A.F.E. Act would not have addressed that issue. In fact, someone as young as 16 can legally own a rifle in this state outside New York City.
Finally, supporters of the S.A.F.E. Act point to its benefit in dealing with mental health issues.
A mental health professional like a doctor, nurse or social worker is required to report any person who is "likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others", so that person can potentially be added to a database of people who should not get access to weapons.
More than 77,000 people have been added to the database, according to Governor Cuomo's chief counsel, Alphonso David.
That's relevant because Broward County Mayor Beam Furr said the shooter in Parkland "had been dealing with mental health issues" and got treatment at a local clinic. If that had happened in New York State, it's possible the shooter's name would have been added to that mental health database, thus denying him access to legally purchasing the weapon he used in the massacre.