New Jersey Senate Passes Critical Public Safety 'One Handgun A Month' Bill

Ceasefire NJ Applauds Action, Thanks Leadership, Sponsor, Governor, Mayors and
City Councils

TRENTON, N.J., June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The NJ Senate passed Senate
bill S-1774, colloquially known as the One Handgun A Month bill, early this
morning.

Tom Jardim, Board Chair of Ceasefire NJ, the Garden State's leading
organization devoted to reducing gun violence said: "At 12:15 this morning
the Senate took an important step toward making the illegal trafficking of
handguns in our state less likely. There can be no doubt that S-1774 is
life-saving legislation, intended to reduce the movement of handguns from
legal sale at New Jersey gun shops to illegal street sale. These illegal
handguns are the ones that fuel gun crime and violence. It is illegal guns
that are used to threaten, wound, maim and kill."

"We especially commend Sponsor Sen Sandra Cunningham, Sen President Richard
Codey and Law & Public Safety Chair Sen John Girgenti," said Jardim, "for
moving the bill in the face of withering gun lobby opposition. Governor
Corzine and staff also worked hard for passage. And, One Handgun A Month
originated with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, a tireless advocate for
public safety. These fine public officials deserve the thanks of all New
Jerseyans concerned about the safety or our homes, schools and communities."

Ceasefire NJ was joined in support of S-1774 by Mayor Healy, Newark Mayor Cory
Booker, the NJ County Prosecutors Association, the City Councils of Atlantic
City, Jersey City, Camden, Paterson, Passaic and Newark, the Brady Campaign to
Prevent Gun Violence and the New Jersey Million Mom March.

Bryan Miller, Executive Director of Ceasefire NJ said: "Leave it to sensible
Garden State legislators to hold the NRA juggernaut at bay by promoting the
public safety. The NRA put on quite a show this spring, bringing DC-based
lobbyists who tried to confuse legislators and obfuscate the issue. One NRA
lobbyist claimed to be a retired ATF supervisor and went so far as to testify
in committee that shutting off bulk straw purchases that fuel the illegal
handgun trade would somehow be a mistake and make law enforcement's job more
difficult. Imagine, a mistake to seek to reduce the flow of illegal handguns
to our streets. More proof the gun lobby is willing to do or say anything,
including lie, to seek to protect gun industry profits."

Jardim asked: "Who needs to buy more than 13 handguns a year? The only people
with such need are firearms collectors, exempted from the bill, and criminal
entrepreneurs who arrange the movement of handguns from legal bulk sale at gun
shops, including in New Jersey, to illegal street sale -- to the very people
all agree should not have guns. These street customers cannot pass background
checks, so need traffickers to supply them illegal handguns."

SOURCE Ceasefire NJ

Bryan Miller of Ceasefire NJ, +1-856-371-3038