Finally, NY's governor makes a significant move to curtail gun violence in her state

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Hochul targets toy guns — no more black or silver, but green, purple and pink are still okay

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation targeting toy guns that look real in a bid to fight crime in the state. 

"Restricting these realistic-looking devices will ensure misleading and potentially dangerous devices are off our streets, keeping kids, law enforcement and all New Yorkers safe," Hochul said Tuesday when signing the bill. 

The new law requires toy guns be painted with bright colors, such as white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple. It is acceptable under the new law that toy guns be entirely transparent. Toy guns that are black, blue, silver or aluminum are prohibited in the state. 

"Improperly designed imitation guns pose an unnecessary and indefensible risk to the lives of our children. Since 1994, there have been at least 63 shootings in New York State as a result of imitation weapons being mistaken for real firearms, at least 8 of which were fatal. From now on, however, toy guns in New York will no longer be mistaken for real weapons," state Sen. Brad Hoylman said, according to the governor’s press release on the law.

“New York City has banned realistic toy guns for decades,” Hochul told FWIW, “and mistaken shootings have dropped way, way down — now the kids and grown-ups use real guns, so the problem has disappeared. But in the rest of the state, 63 people have been shot while wielding toy guns the past twenty-eight years — that’s an average of 2.25 people each year, and one killed every three and a half years!— and that has to stop. This law will do exactly that, and from now on, gang members and the police can feel free to shoot to kill, knowing that the weapon being pointed at them is real; no more deadly hesitation for our boys in blue when confronting armed criminals, and that’s why I’m calling this the ‘TOC Law’ — Tough on Crime.”

While 2.25 shootings annually may seem insignificant compared to the 12,000 or so involving real guns, Hochul’s choice was to either address issues like her party’s catch and release, no-bail law that leaves criminals on the street, or make a meaningless gesture by banning some plastic toys. It turns out, that was an easy one.