State lawmakers on Monday approved legislation that would requiring the locked storage of firearms — a long-sought bill for supporters of gun control in New York.

The bill, part of a string of gun control measures approved in recent weeks in the 2019 legislative session, applies to gun owners with children under the age of 16 in their homes.

“It’s so important that we protect kids from handguns,” said Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Democrat from Manhattan. “When children are in homes with handguns, statistics show they are more likely to be injured or killed by those guns.”

Republicans contended, however, the bill puts gun owners at risk of reaching a firearm when its needed most, such as during a home invasion.

“It just assumes that gun owners can’t be trusted to have guns in their own home. It’s a constant erosion of Second Amendment rights geared at hassling law-abiding gun owners.”

The bill now goes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk for his approval.

Lawmakers previously this year approved a bill that is meant to restrict gun access for the mentally ill as well as a ban bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to mimic automatic fire, as well as a bill that would extend the waiting period to buy a firearm from three days to up to a month.