Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has declared a state of emergency in New York state due to the recent uptick in gun violence.
“Today I am issuing an Executive Order declaring a Disaster Emergency on gun violence. Gun violence is a public health crisis, and we must treat it like one,” Cuomo tweeted Tuesday. “This declaration will allow us to give this crisis the full attention & resources it deserves.”
Cuomo shared the new plans Monday, which include police departments across the state providing data on where shootings take place, cracking down on where illegal guns are sold, and keeping guns out of the hands of those considered dangerous.
Cuomo also said he was partnering with local businesses to create a summer jobs program for at-risk youth, costing $57 million in an effort to create 21,000 jobs.
“We’re going to hire young people, train them, put them on the job, and then not just give them a job, but give them a good-paying career when they finished with school, so they know this is not just a stopgap,” Cuomo said. “You can be a carpenter, you can be an electrician, you can be a tradesman, you can have an entire future ahead of you.”
According to CBS News affiliate WRGB, the total cost of the new gun violence initiative will be $140 million.
The governor said he will sign two measures into law that will prevent people with active warrants from purchasing firearms and barring officers who are responsible for misconduct in their department from moving to another.
This comes as 51 people were shot during the Fourth of July weekend, according to the CBS News affiliate.