Senator Reichlin-Melnick statement on SCOTUS decision, NYS next steps & Alyssa's Law Becomes Law
June 23, 2022
It’s never been more apparent that we need better laws to combat the gun violence epidemic, but the Supreme Court’s reckless and radical decision will make New Yorkers less safe. The court’s reactionary majority is clearly more worried about removing any restriction on gun owners than about protecting people’s right to live free from deadly violence. It’s an especially bitter irony that judges who consider themselves “pro-life” have issued a ruling that will undoubtedly lead to more deaths in New York and around the country.
I learned of the Supreme Court’s devastating ruling just moments before joining Governor Hochul as she signed Alyssa’s Law, which will increase school safety by requiring districts to consider installing silent panic alarms to alert law enforcement quicker in an emergency. I was proud to carry this bill with Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was just 14 years old when she was murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida–her cousins live in our district.
Alyssa’s Law is just one example of how New York is leading the way on the passage of common-sense gun safety laws. This year I have worked with my Democratic colleagues in Albany to pass meaningful gun legislation, including laws to keep weapons of war out of the hands of teenagers, stop civilians from buying body armor, close dangerous “ghost gun” loopholes, and expand the list of qualified people who can file extreme risk orders to keep guns out of the hands of unstable people.
As these legislative victories show, the people of New York want sensible, meaningful gun safety laws. The ruling this morning only further illustrates how out of control and out of touch the right has become when it comes to guns and the safety of Americans everywhere. In the wake of today’s Supreme Court decision, I stand with Governor Hochul’s call for a special legislative session to ensure our laws continue to keep New Yorkers safe."
