ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — New York has two new laws that are supposed to make domestic violence victims safer through new gun removal procedures. Governor Kathy Hochul signed both pieces of legislation during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

Sponsored by State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, S1985A/A544 requires police officers to take weapons when responding to domestic or family violence calls, if the weapon is in the possession of someone arrested for or suspected of committing a family offense. That seizure is temporary, and those weapons include a firearm, rifle, shotgun, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, or disguised gun.

When a police officer responds to a report of a family offense, they fill out the standardized Domestic Incident Report f

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