In response to the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a federal ban on “bump stocks,” which enable semi-automatic weapons to fire as rapidly as machine guns, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) released the following statement:
“In 2017, our hearts broke with the news that 59 people lost their lives in a mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert. We wondered, ‘How could this happen? How could so many be lost?’ The answer became clear: a bump stock. Using this device turned the gunman’s weapon into one that was far more dangerous. I can’t help but think less innocent lives would have been lost if the gunman hadn’t used a bump stock.
“The average gun owner has no need for a bump stock. I was proud to sponsor a law to ban bump stocks in New Jersey, which protects the public from these unsafe and unnecessary devices without infringing on our second amendment rights.
“I’m pleased the Supreme Court came to the same reasonable conclusion in upholding a similar ban nationwide. This is a matter of safety and should not be taken lightly.”