Skelos Announces ‘Commonsense’ Gun Safety Package

State Senate Majority Leader Republican Dean Skelos, of Nassau, announced a package of what he calls “commonsense" tough, gun safety measures.

The gun safety measures package would eliminate the sale and possession of illegal guns and increase penalties for people who use guns to commit crimes. Statistics show illegal guns are used in the vast majority of gun crimes in New York State.

The measures include: increased mandatory prison time for possession and sale of illegal weapons; stiffer penalties for criminals who use guns to commit felonies; life in prison without parole for individuals who kill on-duty emergency responders; increased penalties for possession of a gun on school grounds and school buses.

The proposals come in the wake of horrific recent incidents including the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., and the ambush and killing of two volunteer firefighters in Webster.