ALBANY, N.Y. -- Governor Paterson says that legislators have reached ground breaking legislation that will improve background checks while protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Paterson joined state legislators to announce an agreement on legislation that will allow more comprehensive background checks on persons who are purchasing firearms. The legislation implements a new federal requirement was put in place in response to last year's Virginia Tech shootings. The new law will significantly improve the State's ability to submit mental health records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System by amending the state law that mandated those records remain confidential.

"In the eight years that system has been up, New York only sent them the records of four individuals. Obviously it’s not working. There’s been federal legislation in complacency with what happened at Virginia tech just sadly enough 14 months ago,” Paterson said.

The Governor says by focusing on this small population of individuals who may pose a safety risk, the law will help create a more accurate database of individuals who would be disqualified from purchasing a handgun.