Add Genesee County to the official list of government agencies and local organizations that are calling for a repeal of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's SAFE Act.
The legislature on Wednesday, in a unanimous vote, approved a resolution that will be sent to Albany and Washington calling on elected officials to protect the Second Amendment.
Local residents and gun-rights supporters attended the meeting to encourage the legislature to approve the resolution. Many said the SAFE Act was hastily enacted and infringes on the rights of citizens to own firearms.
“There’s no reason for having people who didn’t commit any crime be punished for something that never took place, especially in our state," Darien resident Dave Alvord said. "It’s just another way to take away their freedom.”
The resolution is merely advisory. It will take Albany politicians to make any changes or repeal the act.
“What we are doing here tonight is we are sending our message to those who are mentioned at the end of the resolution," Legislator Shelley Stein said. "So it would go to the president of the United States, the two U.S. senators, our U.S. congressmen, followed by our governor and our two legislative representatives.”
Voices are rising up across the state to protest the law, and that's a good thing, legislators said.
“It’s extremely important to send that message to our governor, to our legislature, to anyone that will listen," Legislator Esther Leadley said.
The state county clerk's association as well as the sheriff’s association have denounced the law already.
“There’s certain areas we’re in agreement with and there’s areas we’re not in agreement with," Sheriff Gary Maha said, "particularly the ban against assault weapons, the broad definition of assault weapons, (and) and the seven-round clips to me is kind of ridiculous. So there are areas that we feel infringe upon Second Amendment rights.”
It's unusual for legislators to meet before a full house of concerned citizens, but the bill already had proven to have strong backing from the legislators. It passed two previous committees unanimously.
Ray Cianfrini, who first brought the resolution to the legislature, was unable to attend Wednesday's meeting, so the final vote was 8-0.
WBTA contributed to this story.
"If You Don't Stand For
"If You Don't Stand For Something, You'll Fall For Anything" What is happening is the Government is trying to side step the Second Amendment, and it's working & wrong on so many levels.. With a stroke of a pen and 12 hours the law was changed.. Have you tried to buy bullets lately? WHAT"S NEXT? And don't tell me that our Government will not come for our guns sooner or later. If your not part of the solution, your part of the problem. Much thanks to all that are standing up for our rights as Americans..