Gun Sense Prevails: New Jersey Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud New Jersey Assembly for Passing Legislation Prohibiting Bump Stocks

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement applauding the New Jersey Assembly for passing Senate Bill 3477. If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal to own bump stocks – firearm conversion devices that effectively allow rifles to mimic firing speeds of fully automatic weapons – and any similar rapid-fire devices would establish criminal penalties for those who violate the law.

Machine guns have been tightly regulated under New Jersey and federal law for decades, but dangerous gaps in the law have allowed for the sale and possession of accessories that greatly increase a semi-automatic firearm’s rate of fire. Guns equipped with bump stocks were used in the largest and deadliest mass shooting in modern American history last year in Las Vegas, where 58 people were killed and hundreds more injured. New Jersey now joins Massachusetts, becoming the second legislature to pass this important kind of legislation since the Las Vegas mass shooting. The bill now heads to Governor Chris Christie’s desk.

STATEMENT FROM BRETT SABO, VOLUNTEER LEADER WITH THE NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“We are so grateful that our lawmakers have prioritized public safety by passing this piece of common-sense legislation. Senate Bill 3477 is an important step toward keeping accessories like bump stocks out of the hands of dangerous individuals who seek to carry out large, senseless acts of gun violence. Last year, we watched just how deadly these rapid-fire devices can be when a gunman killed 58 people and injured hundreds more during a music festival in Las Vegas. Simply put, no one should be able to end-run our laws regulating machine guns and threaten public safety with these types of devices. We hope Governor Christie will follow the lead of our legislators and sign this bill into law. New Jersey has always been a national leader in public safety, and this should be just the first of many strong actions that the Garden State takes in the next year to continue to reduce gun violence. ”