Gov. Hochul, Mayor Adams, NYPD discuss gun-free Times Square, which begins Thursday
NEW YORK -- New York state is fighting back against the Supreme Court decision to overturn the state's 100-year-old gun laws with a host of changes.
Among those that go into effect Thursday are a new background check process, new training requirements, and "sensitive area" restrictions -- a long list of places where only law enforcement officials are allowed to carry a concealed weapon, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported.
You might say that Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell are locked and loaded, ready to blunt the effects of the Supreme Court ruling so that New York City doesn't become the Wild Wild West.
They kicked off a massive public awareness campaign so that people will know there are many, many so called "gun-free zones."
Hochul launched a statewide ad campaign to make sure New Yorkers and the people who come here to visit are very clear on the fact that while the Supreme Court made New York a new right-to-carry state, there are lots and lots of places where carrying a weapon will get you jail time -- up to four years behind bars.
"We don't need more guns on our streets. We definitely do not. We don't need guns on our streets. We don't need people carrying guns on our subways. We don't need people carrying guns in our schools. We don't need people carrying guns in our places of worship," Hochul said Wednesday.
The governor said that she is determined to keep New York as safe as it was before the Supreme Court struct down the state's laws.
"With that law, we are the fifth lowest in the nation in terms of firearm-related deaths," Hochul said.
There are 5.3 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 people in New York. The governor compared New York states where carrying concealed weapons is allowed. Mississippi has 28 deaths per 100,000. Louisiana has 26 per 100,000, and Wyoming has nearly 26 per 100,000.
At a press conference with Mayor Adams and Police Commissioner Sewell, officials talked about efforts to keep guns out of Times Square and a wide swath of the theater and restaurant district. The city released a map that will have gun-free zone signs posted at 34 different locations. There will also be mobile sign trucks posted in the area.
"I never thought from the days of watching cowboy movies as a child, leave your gun at the door, would become a reality in the state of New York," Adams said.
"The new laws and our rules properly balance the licensees' rights with keeping the public safe, which is what we do. The NYPD is the firearm licenser for New York City and we take this responsibility very seriously," Sewell added.
The new laws also require gun permits to be renewed every three years, and after Sept. 4, this Sunday, New Yorkers will have to be at least 21 to purchase a semi-automatic weapon.