New York passes bill to strip all guns from domestic abusers

President’s inaction on firearms regulation criticised as state aims to break cycle of domestic and gun violence

States are implementing stricter gun control laws in the wake of the Parkland school shooting and national protests (Reuters)

New York’s governor has condemned the Trump administration’s inaction on gun control as the state passed legislation banning anyone convicted of domestic violence from owning a firearm.

The law will require domestic abusers to hand over any rifles, shotguns and other firearms and comes after 17 people were killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

It extends gun restrictions from a 2012 bill which prohibits abusers from owning handguns. That law was itself passed in the wake of the school massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.

“The recent wave of mass shootings is horrifying, and the federal government’s failure to act on any form of meaningful gun safety laws is unconscionable,” said governor Andrew Cuomo.

“New York is once again leading the way to prevent gun violence, and with this common sense reform, breaking the inextricable link between gun violence and domestic violence.

The governor’s website notes that, in nine of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in US history, the shooter had an existing record of committing violence against women, threatening violence against women, or harassing or disparaging women.

He said the latest change to New York’s already strict gun laws would make the state “safer and stronger”.

Students who survived the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland have spearheaded a wave of national protests calling for tighter gun control laws.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting President Trump said he supported stricter background checks and raising the age limit for gun owners, but then backpedalled within weeks.

The president was closely allied with the National Rifle Association during his election campaign, and donations to the powerful pro-gun organisation tripled after the Parkland shooting.

It is now suing the state of Florida for passing a bill to increase the age of gun ownership to 21 – the same age you have to be to buy alcohol.

Vermont, where former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is senator, passed a similar bill this week.