Republican lawmakers in the Assembly and Senate on Wednesday unveiled a push to change the state's sweeping gun control law known as the SAFE Act. The bill would repeal broad portions of the law, but leave the measure intact in New York City.

"Let's face it: Life is different upstate and in the suburbs compared to New York City," said Senator James Seward (R - Milford).

The premise is gun owners and Second Amendment supporters live outside of New York City. In the five boroughs, there is generally more support for gun control. Lawmakers based the proposal off existing laws, like the state's minimum wage, which is phasing in at different rates in New York City, the suburbs and upstate.

"Does it paint with a broad brush? I don't think so," said Senator Robert Ortt (R - North Tonawanda). "But what we're trying to set the statement down is there are so many other examples like last year's minimum wage issue."

The bill is the latest in an effort by Republicans to repeal the four-year-old law, which inflamed gun owners. 

"We have promised action, and I want to tell you in the four years there have been a number of bills introduced, we've ripped this bill, turned it inside out," said Assemblyman Marc Butler (R - Newport).

But Democrats in the Assembly aren't on board. 

"To just want to exclude New York City or differentiate it, what is a uniform policy throughout the entire state, and I think it would be very difficult for us to move away from strong support of the SAFE Act," said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

And Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan is also non-committal, saying the bill has been discussed with the GOP conference. Flanagan voted for the SAFE Act in 2013.

"As a whole, we haven't conferenced that issue in that way," Flanagan said. "We've advocated for amendments to SAFE Act, we've passed a bill, I think it was last year.

And Republican backers of the bill like Ortt say they want to strike an agreement on the repeal legislation -- not use it as a bargaining chip in holding up passage of the state budget.

"It's got to be in that context between the Assembly, the Senate and the governor, obviously, if we want it to have any real chance of becoming law. But this isn't about today putting down a nuclear option," Ortt said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo considers the SAFE Act a key legislative accomplishment during his time as governor.