I Think The Tool Is the Assemblywoman

I stumbled across a pro-microstamping op-ed by NY State Assembywoman Michelle Schimel today. She was the primary sponsor of A.01157 which would require any semi-automatic pistol manufactured or delivered to an FFL in the State of New York to be capable microstamping ammunition. This act passed the New York State Assembly in 2011, died in the State Senate, was returned to the Assembly, and has been passed again.

Assemblywoman Schimel wrote on the bill:

Microstamping allows law enforcement to trace firearms through shell casings found at crime scenes, even if the crime gun is never found. In passing microstamping, the Assembly heeded the call of gun violence victims and their families, anti-crime advocates, and law enforcement who have called for microstamping to be enacted in the budget due to be completed by the end of the month.

Microstamping is about public safety and placing criminals behind bars. This technology will save taxpayers’ dollars by enabling law enforcement to solve gun crimes quicker. At a time when government has to save money and be more efficient, microstamping will help reduce the number of man-hours needed to solve gun crimes. I praise my Assembly colleagues for realizing the urgent need for microstamping in New York State, and I strongly urge the State Senate and Governor to join us and include it in the final budget.

 In her official Assembly biography, she calls this her proudest legislative accomplishment. Given her background, I'm guessing she would.

A lifelong community activist, Michelle serves on the board of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV), the largest citizens' group in New York State dedicated to reducing gun-related violence. In 1995, as Vice President and member of the Executive Board of NYAGV, Michelle and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy co-founded the Long Island Chapter.

Independent, peer-reviewed research has shown that this so-called tool for law enforcement is unreliable. The University of California-Davis Forensic Science Graduate Group stated in reference to California's law that "a mandate for implementation of this technology in all semiautomatic handguns in the state of California be made. Further testing, analysis and evaluation is required."

The NSSF has called this "a flawed concept that is being pushed as a backdoor way to ban handguns" and I would agree.

After looking at the research, I would have to conclude that the tool in question is Assemblywoman Schimel and those who have voted in favor of this bill.