Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa joined lawmakers and advocates at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City as Governor Kathy Hochul signed a series of six gun safety bills into law on Wednesday, October 9th. The new laws aim to further restrict gun ownership and tighten regulations on gun sellers in the state.

One of the key bills mandates that firearm dealers and gunsmiths display tobacco-style safety warnings at points of sale. These warnings highlight the risks associated with firearms, including increased suicide risk, domestic violence fatalities, and accidental child deaths.

Another significant bill targets "pistol converters," devices that enable semi-automatic pistols to fire rapidly with one pull of the trigger. The legislation classifies these converters as firearms and mandates the gun industry to take reasonable steps to prevent their installation and use.

Additional bills focus on strengthening the state's existing Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws. One measure requires courts to notify a statewide registry when an ERPO is issued, ensuring better tracking of these orders. Another allows police agencies, rather than individual officers, to file for ERPOs.

Other measures include a new merchant category code for credit and debit card transactions related to firearm and ammunition sales. This code, already in use in California and Colorado, aims to help identify suspicious purchasing patterns and potentially flag potential trafficking or mass shooting threats.

Finally, a new law mandates that firearms licensing officers provide information on safe storage, child access prevention, and local gun laws to new license holders. The state is also required to launch a public awareness campaign on safe firearm storage.

The new laws were met with praise from gun safety advocacy groups such as Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady, who believe they will hold the gun industry accountable and contribute to safer communities.

This is Figueroa’s second time in the state spotlight in the past few weeks, as he was recently nominated by Senator Schumer to be a member of the State and Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Review Board, which is responsible for recommending recipients of the Congressional Badge of Bravery award to the U.S. Attorney General.