State Sen. Shelley Mayer recently announced the passage of a bill she sponsored, which authorizes the New York State Police to create statewide protocols to encourage and support gun buyback programs throughout the state. The bill, sponsored in the Assembly by Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan, was spurred by the experience of the Yonkers Police Department in its Gun Tip Hotline, which resulted in several-hundred guns having been turned in from Yonkers’ streets.
This bill was one of several gun violence prevention measures the New York State Senate passed Jan. 29. The other bills included measures to prohibit the arming of teachers or other non-law enforcement personnel on school grounds; banning “bump stocks,” which accelerate the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons; extending the background check period to allow for complete reviews; and help keep guns out of dangerous hands with Extreme Risk Protection Orders, the “Red Flag” law.
In her efforts to pass this bill, Mayer worked closely with James Nolan Jr. of Yonkers, who has been a local leader in the fight against gun violence in his community. Nolan has been pressing for the passage of statewide legislation to promote gun buyback programs for several years, after the murder of his brother Michael Nolan in Yonkers.
Michael Nolan passed away Oct. 8, 2015, after a shooting three weeks earlier outside of a Burger King parking lot on Central Park Avenue. Michael was a graduate of Saunders Trades and Technical High School in Yonkers. A 6-foot, 8-inch left-handed pitcher and star athlete, he had been drafted to play for the Oakland A’s.
“Today is an important day for the people of New York State,” said Mayer. “Thank you to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for prioritizing laws that protect our families and communities from the scourge of gun violence. The bill I sponsored establishes guidelines which will allow for uniform polices for gun buyback programs throughout the state, and creates a state gun buyback fund to sustain the program.
“Too many families have experienced the deep grief of losing a loved one due to gun violence. Today, we begin to turn tragedy into policy. Thank you to the extraordinary efforts of advocates throughout the state who have led the fight against gun violence, and my personal thanks to Jimmy Nolan Jr. of Yonkers, for their commitment to making this day happen.”
“The common-sense bills passed today are the correct steps we must take to ensure that guns stay out of the wrong hands and off of our streets,” added Assemblymember Nader Sayegh of Yonkers. “Gun violence isn’t inevitable. I’m proud to join the Assembly majority on passing this legislation and assuring New Yorkers that while Washington refuses to act, we will not sit idle. Enough is enough.”
James Nolan Jr. expressed his thanks to lawmakers who championed this legislation.
“After losing my brother and best friend, Michael, the pain was devastating, but I wouldn’t let it stop me,” he said. “I made a promise to him that I would keep his memory alive and make the city a better place. The Yonkers Gun Tip Hotline is a successful program that was created by Yonkers Deputy Police Chief Tim Hodges. When I was asked to join the program, I didn’t hesitate at all. We have worked extremely hard together to make it successful. After I joined the program, we doubled the amount of guns taken off of the streets of Yonkers. It’s only right to have such a successful program go statewide in New York and to protect even more people. Every gun that is turned in saves a life, and it stops a family from the unbearable pain of losing a loved one.
“Today is a great day, and we are one step closer to helping protect many more people. The fact that the Yonkers program is the first of its kind in New York State, and that it is laying the groundwork for so many more programs to come, is truly amazing. I am forever grateful and appreciative to be a part of it, and thankful for everyone that made this possible.”
