Override County Executive Astorino's Veto of the Gun Show Ban!!

The next and most exciting phase of our campaign to ban Gun Shows at Westchester County Center is now underway.

We are calling on the 8 legislators who voted against the ban to please change their vote, and vote with the majority to Override County Executive Astorino's Veto of the Gun Show Ban.

As you may remember, on January 9, the Westchester County Board of Legislators voted to approve the Gun Show Ban, by a vote of 9-8.   The bill was sent to County Executive Rob Astorino for his signature.

But unfortunately, Astorino vetoed the bill on January 19, and the Gun Show went ahead as scheduled on January 21-22.  More Gun Shows may be held later in the year, subject to future scheduling by Astorino.

Therefore, we need to make Gun Shows a front-of-mind, visible issue that County Legislators must address in their local districts.  To do this, we need citizens and residents to contact legislators, and mobilize support from friends, neighbors and community groups in each district.   This type of citizen-to-citizen activism and grassroots lobbying doesn't happen very often in Westchester County. But this is an issue that parents, teachers, students and clergy all understand, and care deeply about.

The Journal News said, oh, this is just a symbolic vote.  The 9-8 victory in passing the Gun Show Ban is not a big deal.   Astorino will veto the bill.  The opponents of Gun Shows don't have the votes to override.  But, in a democracy, the people rule.  If we get people active and organized, we can win this campaign.

Almost 6,000 people have signed our MoveOn Petition.  The people of Westchester County don't want gun shows in our county-owned buildings.

Veto Override Flyers Targeting Individual Legislators:   We are creating individual flyers for each district.   The flyer tells you which legislator to call and email to support the Gun Show Ban, and how to contact them.

• District 11 - Jim Maisano
• District 3 - Margaret Cunzio
• District 6 - David Gelfarb
• District 14 - David Tubiolo
• District 1 - John Testa
• District 2 - Francis Corcoran
• District 10 - Sheila Marcotte
• District 15 - Gordon Burrows

Please distribute our flyers whenever and whereever you can.   Post them in libraries, grocery stores and laundromats.  Go leafleting at your local Metro-North station or grocery store.   Distribute them in PTAs, religious and community organizations.  Volunteer to staff a literature table on Gun Violence Prevention at village or town events.   Hold a screening of Gun Violence Prevention video at your community organization.  The goal is to get the word out widely, and and to get our neighbors and friends to take action now, by contacting the legislators to urge them to change their vote.

County-Wide Vigils:   We also plan to organize one or more evenings of simultaneous candlelight vigils in each district, to insist that the County Legislature pass the Gun Show Ban.  If you can volunteer to serve on a district committee to help organize and coordinate the vigil and other local events, please contact us at: ReduceGunViolence [at] gmail.com.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGISLATORS WHO
 VOTED "NO" ON THE GUN SHOW BAN ON JANUARY 9

POLITELY URGE THEM TO RECONSIDER,
AND VOTE WITH THE MAJORITY

             TO OVERRIDE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S VETO!!               

Name (Click to Email)	District	Represents	Phone/Email
John G. Testa (Minority Leader)	1	Cortlandt, Peekskill, Yorktown	914-995-2828 Testa [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
Francis T. Corcoran	2	Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers	914-995-2810 Corcoran [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
Margaret A. Cunzio	3	Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville	914-995-2847 Cunzio [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
David B. Gelfarb	6	Harrison, Port Chester, Rye Brook	914-995-2834 Gelfarb [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
Sheila Marcotte	10	Eastchester, New Rochelle, Tuckahoe	914-995-2817 Marcotte [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
James Maisano (Vice Chair)	11	New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor	914-995-2826 Maisano [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
David J. Tubiolo	14	Yonkers, Mount Vernon	914-995-2815 Tubiolo [at] WestchesterLegislators.com
Gordon A. Burrows (Minority Whip)	15	Bronxville, Yonkers	914-995-2830 Burrows [at] WestchesterLegislators.com

E-Mail County Executive Rob Astorino
Phone: (914) 995-2900

Please E-Mail and Call Your County Legislator to Support Legislation to Ban Gun Shows at the Westchester County Center

Click the links below to be transferred directly to your legislator's page.

If you don't know which county legislator represents you, click here and enter your street address.  

Message (cut and paste):  
Please pass legislation now to ban all Gun Shows at the Westchester County Center and all county property.   As a Westchester County resident and taxpayer, I strongly oppose the use of our county-owned buildings and grounds to facilitate private sales of firearms.  Please vote to override County Executive Rob Astorino's Veto of the Gun Show Ban.

Model Gun Show Procedures Bill Needs More Work, Before It Can Be Voted On!

Action Alert!!   Model Gun Show Procedures Bill Needs More Work, Before It Can Be Voted On!

​

Tonight, Monday February 6 at 7:00 PM, the Westchester County Board of Legislators will consider an alternative bill proposed by County Legislator Jim Maisano to require all Gun Shows held in Westchester County to meet Model Gun Show Procedures developed by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.    

While gun violence prevention advocates want Gun Shows banned completely at Westchester County Center, this alternative bill would potentially apply to any future gun shows held on PRIVATE land in Westchester County.   So, it could be an improvement over existing laws -- but only if strong amendments are made.

As the Model Gun Show Procedures bill stands right now, it is NOT READY TO BE VOTED ON by the full Board.   

Gun violence prevention advocates want the bill SENT BACK to the legislative committees that are developing it, to add additional provisions to require strict legal enforcement and penalties for any violations.  

If possible, please call your County Legislator TODAY to urge that the Model Gun Show Procedures bill be sent back to the Public Safety and Social Services Committee (and Legislation and Parks Committees) for strengthening amendments.    

The proposed Model Gun Show Procedures Law would require that:

1)  All guns brought into the gun show by private sellers are tagged so that, upon exiting, the operator can determine if guns were sold and that a proper background check was performed.

2)  The show sponsors must post conspicuous signs throughout the shows that give written notice to all dealers,  and lay out in online promotional materials that makes clear that New York State law requires that a National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) must be completed prior to all firearm sales or transfers, and it’s a crime not to do so.

3) The show sponsors  must inform all gun show staff of the requirements of posting signs and conducting background checks (NICS) and provide access to a dealer who is authorized to conduct a NICS at cost.

4) The show sponsors must limit the number of access doors at the show so that sellers and buyers have to enter and exit through an area where the NICS procedures can be monitored.

5) The show sponsors must use reasonable means, including police patrols, to prevent illegal gun sales outside of the building, including the parking lot, and have law enforcement at gun show to watch for illegal sales.

STATUS OF GUN SHOW BAN:  The status of the Gun Show Ban is that the bill was approved by the County Board of Legislators on January 9, by a vote of 9-8.  But unfortunately it was vetoed on January 21 by County Executive Astorino.

Advocates want the Board to vote to override the Astorino Veto, and uphold the ban; a total of 3 additional legislators’ votes will be needed to override the veto.

When you call, please also tell your legislator that you want he or she to vote to OVERRIDE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASTORINO’S VETO and UPHOLD THE GUN SHOW BAN on any future gun shows at the Westchester County Center.   Government should not be in the business of hosting gun shows and promoting gun ownership.

                        WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS

                                         CONTACT INFORMATION

Name (Click to Email)	District	Represents	Phone
John G. Testa (Minority Leader)	1	Cortlandt, Peekskill, Yorktown	914-995-2828
Francis T. Corcoran	2	Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers	914-995-2810
Margaret A. Cunzio **	3	Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville	914-995-2847
Michael B. Kaplowitz (Board Chair)	4	New Castle, Somers, Yorktown	914-995-2848
Benjamin Boykin	5	White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison	914-995-2827
David B. Gelfarb	6	Harrison, Port Chester, Rye Brook	914-995-2834
Catherine F. Parker	7	Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Rye	914-995-2802
Alfreda A. Williams (Majority Whip)	8	Elmsford, Greenburgh, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown	914-995-2833
Catherine Borgia (Majority Leader)	9	Briarcliff Manor, Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Ossining, Peekskill	914-995-2812
Sheila Marcotte	10	Eastchester, New Rochelle, Tuckahoe	914-995-2817
James Maisano (Vice Chair)	11	New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor	914-995-2826
MaryJane Shimsky	12	Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry,Edgemont, Hartsdale,   Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington	914-995-2821
Lyndon Williams	13	Mount Vernon	914-995-2837
David J. Tubiolo	14	Yonkers, Mount Vernon	914-995-2815
Gordon A. Burrows (Minority Whip)	15	Bronxville, Yonkers	914-995-2830
Kenneth W. Jenkins	16	Yonkers	914-995-2829
Virginia Perez	17	Yonkers	914-995-2846

If you are not sure which legislator represents you, you can look them up here >>

 http://giswww.westchestergov.com/gismap/default.aspx?ovmap=elected

Or check this page to find legislators and see which towns they represent >>

http://westchesterlegislators.com/legislators.html

Tonight’s Agenda Item – Westchester County Board of Legislators

Board of Legislators
Regular Meeting
2/6/2017 7:00 PM 
 Legislative Chamber

148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor   White Plains, NY 10601

http://westchestercountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=4425

IV.	SPECIAL ORDERS
	1.	9842 : Adding new chapt. 432 requiring gun show operators to follow certain procedures.
		A Proposed Local Law amending the Laws of Westchester County by adding a new Chapter 432 requiring gun show operators conducting events in Westchester County to follow and enforce certain procedures.
		Submitted by COMMITTEES ON [LEGISLATION, PUBLIC SAFETY & SOCIALSERVICES AND LABOR, PARKS,PLANNING & HOUSING LOCAL LAW INTRO No. 9842-2017                                           VOTE ___________
		a.	Memo from BOL Chair to Boykin PSSS Chair Perez LEG Chair and Gelfarb LPPH Chair - referral of items directly into Comm - Dec 29 2016
		b.	LL- Gun Shows in Westchester County to follow "Model New York Gun Show Procedures"-DRAFT
		c.	Local Law-adding a new Chapter 432 requiring gun show operators to follow certain procedures-Final

There will likely be a public comment period at 7:00 PM for the first 10 people who sign up to speak.  You may need to get there at 5:30 – 6:00 PM to wait in line to get a public comment card, which are given out to the first 10 people who line up.