New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill Monday codifying the state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention into law and criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for cutting funding for similar programs.

The agency was created by executive order in 2021, overseen by the state Department of Health, with the goal to use this data to track emerging gun violence hotspots and deploy resources to those areas that need it most. Now it is housed within the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

“By codifying the State’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we’re increasing the impact of our efforts to mitigate gun crimes in New York and working directly with the communities most affected by gun violence to fundamentally change the way we address and combat this public health crisis across our state,” Hochul said.

The governor contrasted the measure by highlighting the White House’s decision to close the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and recent cuts to Community-Based Violence Intervention grants from the U.S. Justice Department have placed added strain on local organizations.

“Community groups here and all over the state counting on that money to do God’s work here on Earth  to keep people safe and for victims and their families, to help them heal. And [Trump] just says no more money? So they can fund tax breaks for the wealthiest in our country? Where are our priorities?” Hochul said.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services released data in May showing that shootings in the state are down 9% so far in 2025 compared to the same period last year, as well as a 15% decline in shooting victims. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the murder rate in New York declined by 8% from 2023 to 2024.