[tanknetter]

“Nearly 90 percent were accused of a crime that pre-dates the new act – including having a sawed-off long gun or an unregistered pistol – but was elevated to a felony when the Safe Act went on the books Jan. 15.

How is this not a retroactive law?

I mean, I'm not going to pick nits over someone who decided to illegally saw off a shotgun, but I thought there were strong laws in place to prevent retroactivity?

[William Tell]

tanknetter said: "How is this not a retroactive law? "

I think the author of the article pehaps chose ambiguous wording.

I'm guessing that the 1000 people are charged with committing a SAFE Act "crime" since the passage of the safe act, and are also charged with other offenses committed since the passage of the SAFE Act which, due to a part of the SAFE Act, will be charged as felonies rather than misdemeanors. I don't think the author is describing crimes committed before the SAFE Act.