Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE - Sag Harbor) announced that he helped pass the Domestic Violence Escalation Prevention Act as part of the Assembly’s continued efforts to keep guns out of the wrong hands and prevent gun violence in New York (A.10272). The measure has the support of the Senate and governor and will soon be law.

“Domestic violence is not only cruel, it’s the ultimate betrayal of trust and it’s a scourge on society,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “The statistics are startling. With nearly three women murdered every day by an intimate partner,1 it’s clear that one of the critical steps in preventing these brutal tragedies is making sure abusers don’t have a gun.”

The measure prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a domestic violence crime from purchasing or possessing a firearm by:

• establishing a clear process for notifying the FBI of domestic violence convictions for the purposes of identifying individuals prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms when a background check is conducted;
• preventing individuals with an outstanding warrant for a felony or serious offense crime, including a domestic violence misdemeanor, from being eligible for a firearms license; and
• creating a new requirement that the court order the surrender of all firearms following a conviction of a felony or serious offense, including domestic violence misdemeanors.

Assemblyman Thiele noted that the act is a step forward in protecting our communities, especially since there’s a clear link between domestic violence and mass shootings. In nine of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, the shooter had a known history of harassing, threatening or abusing women.2 In fact, the majority of mass shooters in the U.S. killed their intimate partners or family members.3

“From mass shootings to the far-too-routine violence that plagues neighborhoods and leaves families scared to walk the streets, we need to do more,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “Thoughts and prayers will never be enough – they will not bring victims back and they will not keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. I’ll continue to take real action to keep our families and kids safe and to save lives.”

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1. nbcnews.com/news/us-news/domestic-violence-nearly-three-u-s-women-killed-every-day-n745166

2. businessinsider.com/deadliest-mass-shootings-almost-all-have-domestic-violence-connection-2017-11

3. fortune.com/2017/11/07/domestic-violence-shootings-statistics