Westchester County approves gun store warning signs
The legislation, approved Monday night by the Westchester County Board of Legislators, mandates that licensed gun dealers post warning signs inside their stores highlighting the increased risks of suicide, homicide, domestic violence deaths and accidental shootings associated with having firearms in the home.
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Westchester County lawmakers have approved what supporters are calling a second-in-the-nation gun safety measure, requiring firearm retailers to display visual and written warnings about the risks associated with gun ownership.
The legislation, approved Monday night by the Westchester County Board of Legislators, mandates that licensed gun dealers must post warning signs inside their stores that includes new graphic artwork highlighting the increased risks of suicide, homicide, domestic violence deaths and accidental shootings associated with having firearms in the home.
“Some dangers are too serious to ignore. And gun violence is one of them,” said County Legislator Vedat Gashi during the debate.
The new graphic artwork developed by the Westchester County Department of Health along with text stating that access to a firearm in the home significantly increases the risk of suicide, homicide, domestic violence fatalities and unintentional deaths involving children.
Advocates for the measure compared the warnings to graphic anti-smoking campaigns that have been used to educate consumers about health risks.
“The gun lobby has spent decades telling us guns make us safer, but we know that a gun in a home makes it more likely that someone will die from gun suicide, domestic violence or unintentional shootings,” said Barry Graubart of Moms Demand Action.
Not everyone supports the measure.
Gun retailer Gregory Khitrov, of Vintage Arms in Yonkers, argued the warnings will do little to improve public safety.
“Once again, we’re being mandated as gun store owners to put up something on the wall that’s completely meaningless,” Khitrov said. “The government should be enforcing the existing laws on hand to try to prevent this kind of stuff.”
Supporters say the warnings are designed to educate prospective gun owners and encourage safe firearm storage and handling practices.
“My hope is that by strengthening this awareness around firearm risk, we can reduce preventable deaths and help save lives in our community here in Westchester,” said County Legislator Shanae Williams.
The county health department will now be responsible for creating the graphic warning signs that firearm retailers will be required to display.
