European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 a the stars and stripes saturday May 30, 1992semiautomatics for . Police backed by Sam Howe verhoven the new York times Albany . A the new York state Senate has overwhelmingly approved a Bill that would require new York City to Arm its 26,000 police officers with semiautomatic weapons. The vote came thursday after a raucous debate that included the spectacle of two new York City lawmakers waving guns on the floor of the ornate Senate chamber. The Bill initially Given Little Chance of becoming Law sailed through the Senate on a 51-3 vote during an election year in which legislators Are afraid of voting against any measure that could be perceived As Tough on crime. The Bill Heads for a showdown in the democratic led Assembly pitting the vehement opposition of mayor David Dinkins and police commissioner Lee p. Brown against a push by the police officers unions which say police need the guns to counter deadly weapons used by criminals. Police departments in several Large cities including los Angeles and Miami already routinely Issue semiautomatic to their officers. In new York the weapons Are used by the state police the City transit police and police departments on Long Island. The measure would amount to an extraordinary act by the legislature in imposing regulations normally set by the City a police commissioner. The chief Senate sponsor of the measure Guy j. Velella a Bronx Republican lifted an unloaded 9mm semiautomatic from his desk during the floor debate thursday after securing permission from the Senate a sergeant at arms to bring it into the chamber. A this is the Way to go to bring Back Law and order to the streets of new York City a Velella told his colleagues. A Queens Democrat sen. Emanuel r. Gold who pulled two semiautomatic from a briefcase when he took the floor referred to a a War in the streets and said that allowing the police to use such guns would make a your Community and my Community a safer but Franz s. Leichter a Manhattan Democrat who was one of the three senators to vote against the Bill admonished lawmakers for their support of the measure. A there Are some dangerous objects in this chamber today and in a not referring to these guns my colleagues Are brandishing about a said Leichter. A the danger is this it would set a terrible precedent he said a to meddle in this fashion in the operations of the new York City police . Assembly votes to repeal assault gun ban by the new York times Trenton . The Republican controlled Assembly approved legislation on thursday that would repeal new jerseys 2-year-old ban on assault Type firearms. The vote was 55-18, More than the two thirds required to override a veto. In the Senate where republicans also hold a majority the judiciary Law and Public safety committee held a hearing on similar legislation and agreed to Send it to the full Senate. The committee vote was 4-0, with the Lone Democrat on the panel abstaining. Gov. Jim Florio said thursday that he would veto any Bill that would repeal the ban on semiautomatic assault weapons. He also said he would seek a non binding referendum on the Issue in november. The provision to repeal the assault weapon ban is part of a Bill that is described by its prime sponsors Assembly speaker Chuck Haytaian and assemblyman Frank a. Lobiondo As anti crime legislation. One part of the Bill would Amend a Law prohibiting the carrying of firearms near schools or on school grounds. But the measure also would Amend the Law Banning assault weapons by deleting references to a assault a it is not honest to describe As ant crime a measure that would legalize uzis ak-47s and other weapons of War a Florio said. Dozens of spectators Many of them wearing National Rifle association lapels and Caps Rose to their feet and cheered when the Assembly approved the Bill. In May 1990, the legislature then under democratic control passed a Bill prohibiting the Sale and ownership of semiautomatic assault firearms. The Law gave the owners of assault weapons a year to sell them or Render them inoperable if the guns were to be kept As collectors items. The legislation angered the National Rifle association and other gun lobbyists who responded by contributing thousands of dollars to last Falls successful Campaign by the republicans to take control of the legislature. Before the Assembly vote on thurs Day democrats and republicans attempted to drum up Public support at news conferences. A a it a a Wolf in sheep a clothing a said assemblyman Willie b. Brown a Democrat from Newark. Brown and three other democrats a Byron m. Baer of Englewood Harry a. Mcenroe of South Orange and Loretta Weinberg of Teaneck a led the floor fight against the Bill. A a there a no doubt in my mind that the Era is manipulating this a Baer said at a news conference. Haytaian said his neighbors in Rural Warren county and some senior Law enforcement officers had urged him to repeal the weapons ban. View from the rear president Bush and first lady Barbara Bush pause for a photo session with fifth and sixth graders from Beaumont school in Philadelphia on thursday at the White House. The president and his wife were photographed As they departed for a speaking engagement before the american legion in lawmaker proposes labels for paroled sex offenders Baton Rouge la. Up a without apologies to Hester prynne of the Scarlet letter a Louisiana legislative committee has approved a Bill to affix warning labels on paroled sex offenders. Nathaniel Hawthorne a classic novel describes How new England puritans incensed that prynne had committed adultery required her to live out her years with a Large red a a a pinned to her dress reminding one and All of her Scarlet past. If it was Good enough for prynne and the puritans reasoned state rep. Matthew Schneider Iii a Slidell then Why it work in modern Day Louisiana a House committee agreed wednesday and sent Schneider a Bill to the floor. The Bill would require paroled defendants convicted of sex offences such As rape incest and molesting children to notify their neighbors associates and co workers of their pasts. A the Bill would Force defendants to place newspaper ads and mail notices to All persons living within three blocks of their residences in Urban areas or within a mile in Rural areas of the nature of their sex crimes. The notices must include the defendants Home address. The constitutionality of Schneider a Bill appeared dubious. A legislative lawyer said that while courts in other states had struck Down notification requirements applied to All convicted defendants they May take a different position on such procedures linked to sex offenders on probation. Quayle would lose to Murphy Brown poll says Wpm Vhal Linn a i new York up Dan Quayle May not approve of Murphy Browne a lifestyle but the . Public prefers the fictional to journalist to the vice president a both As a Parent and president a poll showed Friday. The poll published in the june 5 edition of the Magazine entertainment weekly showed that most people were not offended by Murphy Browne a decision to have a baby even though she is single. Murphy a motherhood made headlines last week when Quayle said the character was setting a bad example by bearing a child out of Wedlock. Murphy Brown the title character on the popular lbs sitcom had a baby boy on the shows season finale. I he child a father is Murphy a a husband but she chose not to remarry him. Despite the vice presidents disapproval the poll conducted by the Gallup organization found that most people in the audience feel Murphy would be a better Parent than Quayle. Forty three percent said Murphy would make a better Parent compared with 32 percent for Quayle. And Murphy who is played by Candice Bergen had an Edge Over Quayle when it came to politics too. When asked who would make a better president 40 percent said Murphy Brown compared with 38 percent for Quayle. An additional 22 percent a did no to an overwhelming 76 percent said they were not offended by Murphy a dec Isic to have a baby As a single Parent. Only 1 percent said they were offended and percent did no to know. Again 65 percent said a a not who asked if Murphy set a bad example. On 27 percent said she set a bad example and 8 percent did no to know. When asked whether Quayle set a example 40 percent said a yes a Cor Parea to 50 percent who said a a not percent who did no to know. And
