Abusers lose right to guns

ALBANY — New York has disarmed wife beaters.

The Legislature approved a measure that adds misdemeanor domestic violence convictions to the list of offenses that would prohibit people from buying or owning firearms.

State law already bans the possession of firearms for people convicted of felony offenses.

“We won more gun safety for victims of domestic violence, and that was a great, great win,” Gov. Cuomo said Saturday. “This bill, I believe, will actually save lives.”

Cuomo included the legislation as part of his budget proposal in January, and the measure won final approval early Saturday as lawmakers wrapped up work on the 2018-19 spending plan.

Supporters argued that a large percentage of murdered women are killed by their intimate partners and noted that in 2016, firearms were used in 25 domestic homicides in New York.