New York State maintains some of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation. From mandatory background checks and handgun permits to limits on high-capacity magazines, the Safe Act’s measures have not stripped us of our freedoms. Instead, they prove that public safety and constitutional rights can coexist.
Diana deeply respects the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, yet rights come with responsibilities to our families and communities. The government must ensure firearms reach only those legally eligible to own them. This means enforcing universal background checks to close loopholes exploited in private sales and by establishing clear, objective standards for firearm classification based on function, not politics. Weapons of war have no place on our streets, and Congress must act to ban assault weapons. Restrictions must remain constitutional and respect due process, though we must act decisively when credible evidence shows someone poses a danger to themselves or others.
True safety also requires addressing root causes beyond legislation. We must stop the hate and violence saturating our children’s lives by holding social media platforms accountable for boosting harmful content, banning targeted advertising to minors and working with community partners to develop a comprehensive approach to reduce gun violence. And we must expand access to mental healthcare by putting a full-time counselor in every school and funding community base crisis intervention teams.
This is the New York way – strong on safety, respectful of rights, committed to doing what works. It is a standard Diana will fight for on the federal level and to uphold across our nation.
