State Senator Joe Griffo is applauding the St. Lawrence County Legislature for taking a stance against stiffer gun regulations being considered on the state level.
Governor Paterson wants to required handgun owners and dealers to undergo repeat background checks every three to five years.
A resolution passed by the county Finance Committee calls the measure another unfunded mandate that will do nothing to improve public safety. The full board will consider the resolution on July 6th.
Senator Griffo says county lawmakers are right on track.
“Raising costs to taxpayers and making gun ownership more costly and difficult for responsible sportsmen will do nothing to improve public safety,” said Sen. Griffo. “Rather, these bills are just a part of a radical downstate agenda hatched by politicians who don’t understand our way of our life, and don’t speak for us.”
Parishville legislator Laura Perry was the lone dissenter of the resolution when it passed the county Finance Committee.
Legislators Don Peck and Joe Lightfoot introduced the legislation.
“Sports men and women need to understand that their rights are under assault, and I applaud Legislators Lightfoot and Peck for raising awareness of this proposal, and encouraging others to oppose these bills,” said Griffo.
County Clerks, including St. Lawrence’s Patricia Ritchie, oppose the bill because of the added costs to taxpayers.
The Governor’s and Assembly proposals also are opposed by the St. Lawrence County Federated Sportsmen, an alliance of 19 sportsmen’s groups from throughout the county.
Senator Griffo says the proposal was derailed by the recent coup in the State Senate that has led to a four-week gap in any Senate business being done.
