January 15, 2013 01:23 PM UTC

New York Legislature First to Move on Gun Control

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• by: Colorado Pols

From CNN:

Lawmakers in New York are poised to approve a new set of gun laws intended to fortify the state’s assault weapons ban, limit the number of bullets in magazines and strengthen rules that keep the mentally ill from obtaining firearms.

If passed, it would be the nation’s first gun control bill since last month’s massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed 27 people, including 20 young children in an elementary school.

New York’s GOP-controlled Senate overwhelmingly approved the measure in a 43-18 vote late Monday night, one week after Gov. Andrew Cuomo spelled out tough new gun control proposals in his annual State of the State address.

It will be interesting to see if the efforts of New York’s legislature will add any urgency or momentum to efforts to corral gun violence in Colorado — particularly given the rising expectations for Colorado and Gov. John Hickenlooper. It certainly makes it harder for Colorado legislators to get bogged down when another (albeit Bluer) state takes a big step forward.