New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) is a left-of-center organization focused on lobbying for gun-control measures in New York state and on the federal level and is the partner lobbying organization to the New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Education Fund. It notably advocates for an expansion of background checks, “red flag” laws on the federal level, mandatory “micro-stamping” technology, and a federal “assault weapons” ban. ^{1 2}

Founding and History

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence was founded in 1993 in the wake of two shooting incidents in New York City. The group began to organize activist events, such as placing shoes at the U.S. Capitol to protest gun policy at the time. In 1995 the group established its charitable partner organization, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Education Fund. ³

Finances

In fiscal year 2019, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence had $29,175 in revenue, which was entirely derived from contributions and grants. The group had $34,074 in expenses, of which the majority was spent on activist events and the publication of a newsletter related to gun control that was sent to elected officials. It ended the year with $13,668 in net assets. The organization did not report any staffing expenses. ⁴

Policies and Projects

State-Level Advocacy

On the state level in New York State, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is currently advocating for the Fair Access to Victims Compensation bill that seeks to increase the ability of victims of crime to claim compensation from the state by increasing the statute of limitations after the crime to report it to authorities and to expand the definition of what is considered acceptable evidence a crime has occurred. ⁵

NYAGV is also working to promote “micro-stamping” legislation that would require semi-automatic pistols sold in New York State to incorporate stamping technology that would mark every cartridge that is loaded into the firearm with a unique identifying code. ⁶

Federal Lobbying

NYAGV supports a variety of gun control measures on the federal level. These include expanding background check requirements on firearm sales to include private sales and transfers in person, at gun shows, and online, in addition to current background check requirements. ⁷

The group also supports expanding the window for the FBI to conduct background checks from the current period of three days to 10 days, the implementation of a federal extreme risk protection order law (often called “red flag laws”) that would allow for the confiscation of firearms without a criminal conviction, and federal ban on “assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines. ⁸

The group also supports a variety of changes to criminal justice and policing processes on the national level to address what it considers to be racist policing practices that effect racial minorities. ⁹

Leadership

Rebecca Fischer is the executive director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and its partner organization, the New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Education Fund. In addition to her gun-control work at NYAGV, she has also participated in a variety of other gun control organizations, including as chair of the Safe Storage Law Advocacy Committee, a member of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Gun Violence Prevention Steering Committee, and chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Social Action Committee at the Beth Elohim congregation. ¹⁰

1. New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. “About Us – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/about-us/.
2. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/.
3. New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. “About Us – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/about-us/.
4.  New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. IRS (Form 990), 2019 Part I
5. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/.
6. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/.
7. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/.
8. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/.
9. “Advocacy – New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Accessed May 30, 2022. https://nyagv.org/advocacy/
10. Linkedin.com. “Rebecca Fischer | Linkedin.” Accessed May 30, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-fischer-2a6788a1/details/volunteering-experiences/.