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April 15, 2008
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N.Y. shell-casing ID bill advances
Related: New shell ejection study suggests gun handling determines where empties fall By Melissa Mansfield
Newsday ALBANY — Legislation requiring some handguns to have shell case-imprinting technology was approved by the State Assembly yesterday and is expected to be passed by the Senate later this year. The law would mandate laser "microstamping" on the firing pins of semiautomatic pistols made or delivered to licensed dealers in the state by Jan. 1, 2010. That would give spent shell casings, which are often found at crime scenes, a unique stamp that could be traced back to individual guns. "This innovative tool will aid law enforcement in investigating, arresting, and convicting more perpetrators of gun-related crimes," said Assemb. Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck), the bill's sponsor. The Assembly vote was 90 for to 47 against. Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn), who will introduce the Senate bill within the next 30 days, commended the measure. "This is a tool that the police department across the state can use," he said. A microstamped gun would have a code engraved on the tip of its firing pin. When the gun was fired, the markings would be imprinted onto the bullet's cartridge case, which is then ejected. Though Schimel said that the engraving mechanism cannot be easily tampered with, the way serial numbers often are, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association President Tom King disagreed. "Microstamping doesn't work. There is no technology out there to do it," he said, citing a Justice Department report that he said found the mechanism "unreliable." California enacted a similar law in October, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has introduced microstamping legislation at the federal level. King said that California's law has not been implemented yet, because of concerns over the available technology. Even advocates acknowledge the process isn't perfect. The imprinted stamp on the shells, for example, would trace back to the last legal owner of the gun, and most crimes are committed with illegally held guns. But Port Washington Police Chief William Kilfoil said the encryption will give police another lead, and enable them to find out how the gun came into the hands of a criminal. "It's not going to solve everything, but it's another tool," he said. The measure was part of a 10-bill package on guns in the Assembly, which also included a bill by Assemb. Steven Englebright (D-East Setauket) that would make gun triggers require at least 10 pounds of pressure to fire, in an effort to safeguard against accidental shootings by children. Copryight 2008 Newsday
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