GUN VIOLENCE VICTIMS, ADVOCATES, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO URGE SENATE TO INCLUDE MICROSTAMPING IN BUDGET PROPOSAL Governors Budget

Proposal Repeals CoBIS; Serious Need for Microstamping Remains

ALBANY Victims of unsolved gun violence, advocates, law enforcement and elected officials will report on their meetings urging the inclusion of microstamping in the Senate budget proposal, tomorrow at 1PM. Microstamping, which would provide law enforcement with a critical tool to solve gun crimes, passed the Assembly last session, but the Senate Majority refused to bring it to a vote. In his budget proposal, Governor Cuomo proposed the repeal of a pistol and revolver ballistic identification database known as CoBIS and suggested that it be replaced with a federal system known as NIBIN. Still, a serious need remains for microstamping, which connects shell casings from crime scenes to the first purchaser of a weapon. The advocates and victims will report back on their meetings with Senators urging the inclusion of microstamping in the budget. New Yorkers Against Gun Violence will also release a new report highlighting the need for microstamping. Microstamping technology imprints a tiny alpha-numeric code (or microstamp) on shell casings that are ejected from a gun every time a bullet is fired. Microstamped shell casings would make it possible for law enforcement to trace and determine critical facts about the guns used in many unsolved crimes by linking the casings at a crime scene back to the gun that fired them. WHAT: Gun Violence Victims, Advocates, Law Enforcement, Senators Jose Peralta and Daniel Squadron, Assemblymembers Michelle Schimel and Brian Kavanagh Report on Meetings Urging Inclusion of Microstamping in Senate Budget WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 1:00PM

WHERE: Capitol Building Room 315 - Senate Minority Conference Room CONTACT: Colin Weaver (New Yorkers Against Gun Violence), 917-677-5824 Mike Murphy (Senate), 646-752-5992 Emily Frankel (Assembly), 516-965-2204