Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-New York City, speaks during a news conference to announce the signing of legislation Dinowitz sponsored amending legislation requiring suicide warnings to be mounted in stores selling firearms.

Republicans still aren’t big fans of legislation that requires warnings to be posted by firearms dealers in the state.

A chapter amendment (A.437) was recently approved in the state Senate and Assembly to legislation signed into law in 2024 that requires the warnings to be posted regarding rifle and shotgun sales. The amendment approved in March didn’t change the way the bill worked except to replace the word weapon wherever it appeared with the words rifle and shotgun while removing reference to enforcement of the new notification requirement by local law enforcement.

“The largest share of the data shows that over 24,000 suicides occurred in the year 2020 through the use of guns,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx. “A majority of gun-related deaths are from suicide, so the hope is that perhaps in some cases this can stop that.”

Republicans continued their opposition from 2024 during floor debate on the chapter amendment, which passed the Assembly 98-50 with Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, R-Westfield, and Joe Sempolinski, R-Olean, voting against the bill. It passed the Senate on Feb. 3 by a 43-20 vote with Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, voting against the bill. It was sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her signature on Monday and signed late last week.

“For me it’s just another example, as I spoke in the previous bill, that when it comes to the Second Amendment, New York stops at nothing to adopt a death by 1,000 cuts strategy to make it onerous and difficult for citizens to exercise their rights under the Second Amendment,” said Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-Herkimer. “For that reason we voted against the bill in chief last year, all my colleagues should vote no on this chapter amendment because what it does is it infringes on your Second Amendment rights.”

Dinowitz’ bill was originally introduced in 2023 before it was passed in 2024. It requires warnings be posted and provided by firearm dealers warning people of the dangers of gun ownership, including the increased risk of suicide, death during domestic disputes, and unintentional death to children, household members and others and of the availability of the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

According to a CBS News report, placing warning labels on firearms is an idea promoted by the Gun Shop Project — a nationwide partnership of gun owner groups and suicide prevention advocates. Westchester County unanimously passed legislation requiring the warnings in May 2022. Warnings are required to be posted where weapons or firearms are displayed or delivered to the purchaser at the entrance to the site and in at least one additional area where sales occur conspicuously stating the warning in no smaller than 24-point type and on paper at least 8 and 1/2 inches by 11 inches.

“The purpose is to make sure people understand that having a gun could lead to death, including among children,” Dinowitz said during floor debate on the chapter amendment. “OK, so we don’t like when that happens. There are more firearms in this country than there are people by a significant number and the requirement of this bill, the mere posting of a piece of paper as small as 8.5 by 11 doesn’t seem to me to be a burden or an expense that anybody should really worry about.”