NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The New York State Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would ban “lifelike” toy guns and other “imitation weapons,” in light of the number of shootings linked to fake firearms being mistaken for real ones.
Under the proposed legislation, sponsored by Manhattan state Senator Brad Hoylman, all imitation weapons would be “brightly colored” or “constructed entirely of transparent or translucent materials, along with other identifying features.”
Since 1994, at least 63 shootings in New York state have taken place because someone mistook a fake gun for a real one, Hoylman said in a release on Tuesday.
“Police say it’s virtually impossible to train officers to identify imitation guns from a distance,” Hoylman wrote. “That’s why it’s important that we stand up to gunmakers and the National Rifle Association and pass my bill that would require toy guns be distinguishable from the real thing.”
“Hopefully, with the bill we’ve passed today, we’ll save a lot of heartache for New York families later,” he added.
The bill still needs to pass the State Assembly and secure Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature to take effect.