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Cuomo Administration, Senate Republicans Agree To Changes In Gun Control Law

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Senate Republicans and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration have agreed to change part of the state's gun control laws.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said Saturday that an agreement had been reached to suspend development of a database for checking the backgrounds of ammunition buyers.

The database was included as part of the so-called "SAFE Act," which was enacted following the 2012 Newtown school massacre.

According to the agreement signed by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and top Cuomo aide Jim Malatras, the database is being put on hold because the state police determined the necessary technology doesn't exist yet.

It won't be revived until the technology and state funding are available.

In the past, Cuomo has resisted calls to change what he considers a signature achievement.

On Friday, Azzopardi said Republican Sen. James Seward, a critic of the SAFE Act legislation, "mistakenly" said a moratorium on Internet sales of ammunition would be lifted as well. Azzopardi said that was not part of the deal agreed upon.

Spokesmen for the GOP majority and Seward didn't initially respond to requests for comment.

Democratic State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie called the agreement "an ill-advised end run'' around the legislation.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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