New York lawmakers are set to increase the minimum age to buy a semi-automatic rifle to 21 years old from 18 under legislation to tighten gun laws, reports the Wall Street Journal. The state will also ban the purchase of bullet-resistant vests by civilians and require that pistols be enabled with microstamping technology, which places a forensic mark on any shell casing fired by a particular gun.
The measures also broaden the types of health providers who can seek an emergency order under New York’s “red flag” law that allows authorities to take firearms from people thought to be at considerable risk to harm themselves or others. Under the pending legislation, people buying a semi-automatic rifle would first be required to obtain a permit that is now required to buy or possess a pistol. The bills were completed over the weekend and are expected to be approved this week.
