It is Gun Violence Awareness Month, and some state lawmakers are taking steps to tackle illegal gun sales.
An uptick in shootings in the Hudson Valley comes as some state leaders look to tighten gun control laws, which are already some of the strictest in the country.
Majority Leader Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is pushing through a package of gun control bills in the state Senate that would:
-Crack down on imitation "toy" guns
-Impose a mandatory 10-day waiting period on firearm purchases
-Prohibit anyone other than licensed gunsmiths from possessing "ghost guns"
"If you can just assemble a gun with a 3D printer, it is a problem," says Stewart-Cousins.
Another bill would allow for more research on gun violence, while one piece of legislation would help the state track if guns used in criminal acts were acquired in New York or elsewhere.
"It's important that we understand how we can stem the flow of illegal guns on our streets," says Stewart-Cousins. "We are just trying to get our hands around this problem and attack it from every area."
The bills are now headed to the Democratic-controlled Assembly, where they will likely be approved.
If the package of gun control bills passes the Assembly, they will go into effect 120 days after being signed by the governor.