New York Lawmakers Want To Tweak Tough New Gun Law For Movie, TV Shoots

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Saturday March 2, 2013 @ 11:06pm PST

Following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. state legislators in New York rushed the nation’s toughest gun control measure into law. Now the state is looking to tweak the law with an exemption that will allow movie and TV producers to film gun battles on New York City streets, the AP reports. New York and other states have courted film and TV producers with tax incentives to create local production jobs and increased revenues in the community. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who wants to expand the film and TV tax credit, says productions might use fake guns that wouldn’t be subject to the new law, but the industry wants “certainty” and Cuomo and other officials don’t want to jeopardize the production business. The revised law would allow filmmakers to use real weapons without real ammunition. Cuomo described the changes as “technical corrections”. The so-called Hollywood exemption is just one of several possible revisions, one of which would allow police officers more leeway with their weapons. Separately, Fox News reported that a New York state judge agreed Friday to consider whether the tough new gun restrictions were rushed into law in violation of the state Constitution which usually requires a three-day review before lawmakers vote on legislation.

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UPDATE: President Obama Urges Study Of Links Between Media And Violence

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Wednesday January 16, 2013 @ 1:13pm PST

UPDATE, 1:13 PM: Entertainment organizations are weighing in to support Obama‘s gun initiatives. The MPAA, NAB, NCTA and Independent Film & Television Alliance just issued this joint statement: “We support the President’s goal of reducing gun violence … Read More »

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Are Gun Control Pleas By Movie Stars Undermined By Onscreen Violence?

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Wednesday January 2, 2013 @ 3:06pm PST
Mike Fleming

Well, you had to know this was coming from the gun crowd. A bunch of celebrities got together to speak out for gun control. In this video making the rounds, their pleas are superimposed with footage of the same actors … Read More »

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