As promoted on the websites of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action and the Shooters Committee on Political Education--or S.C.O.P.E.--today is the Third Annual Sportsmen and Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day, sponsored by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association

State Senator Jose Peralta marked the occasion by calling on Senate Republicans to put his microstamping bill to a vote.  He issued this statement:

“I have a simple request for my Republican Senate colleagues: Rather than unilaterally substituting your own judgment for that of district attorneys and chiefs of police from all over the state, put microstamping to a vote.

“Listen to—and let the public hear— the arguments put forth in support of microstamping by law enforcement and those advanced by the National Rifle Association in opposition to the bill.

“Let law enforcement explain how microstamping can help put violent gun criminals behind bars.  Try to understand the counterargument, that requiring semi-automatic pistols to mechanically stamp a microscopic code on shell casings somehow constitutes an assault on the Second Amendment rights of sportsmen and law-abiding gun owners.

“Weigh those arguments yourselves.  Then vote your conscience.”