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The confiscation of military-style assault weapons is unnecessary because New York imposed a ban on the semi-automatic firearms six years ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.
Cuomo made the comment on a day when he challenged Democratic presidential candidates to embrace the strict gun laws enacted in New York in early 2013, just weeks after a schoolhouse massacre in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
He said the New York legislation, known as the SAFE Act, prohibits the sale of weapons that are "designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest period of time."
While stopping short of expressing opposition to confiscation, he said pushing for the seizure of such firearms is not on his agenda. He noted it would be challenging to seize such guns from their owners.
"Confiscation is different" than stopping sales, Cuomo told an interviewer with Rochester radio station WXXI. He added: "I don't even know how you would do that. And what is the need to do it if they were already banned six years ago?"
He also maintained the New York legislation has placed no burdens on people who comply with firearms laws and regulations.
"There's no legitimate gun owner who's come to me in six years and said,"you infringed on my right,'" the governor said.
Cuomo: Seizing assault weapons is unnecessary
Cuomo made the comment on a day when he challenged Democratic presidential candidates to embrace the strict gun laws enacted in New York in early 2013, just weeks after a schoolhouse massacre in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
He said the New York legislation, known as the SAFE Act, prohibits the sale of weapons that are "designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest period of time."
While stopping short of expressing opposition to confiscation, he said pushing for the seizure of such firearms is not on his agenda. He noted it would be challenging to seize such guns from their owners.
"Confiscation is different" than stopping sales, Cuomo told an interviewer with Rochester radio station WXXI. He added: "I don't even know how you would do that. And what is the need to do it if they were already banned six years ago?"
He also maintained the New York legislation has placed no burdens on people who comply with firearms laws and regulations.
"There's no legitimate gun owner who's come to me in six years and said,"you infringed on my right,'" the governor said.
Cuomo: Seizing assault weapons is unnecessary