All three of the New York State senators representing St. Lawrence County voted against the new gun control legislation that was approved 43-18 in the Senate last night.

Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-Rome), Sen. Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton) and Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) voted not to send the bill to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The Assembly is expected to take up the measures today.

The bill passed in the Senate requires more buyers to undergo background checks and places stricter limits on guns, ammunition and high-capacity magazines, It also gives more authority to law enforcement to keep the mentally ill from obtaining weapons.

Sen. Ritchie did see some provisions she called Mark’s Law included in the bill. She has sponsored in the Senate a provision that would raise the penalty for murder of a first responder, but still voted against the whole bill when it came up for a vote.,

She said it was "clear to me that attempts to restrict legal ownership and possession of firearms from responsible sportsmen—rather than focusing on criminals—will not enhance the safety of our communities, and deprives law-abiding citizens of an important right under the Constitution of the United States.

"It is for that reason, and based on the many hundreds of sportsmen and constituents I represent, who contacted my office to urge me to oppose this legislation, that I chose to vote no on this legislation," Ritchie said.