Caldwell Council Votes To Support NJ Gun Control Bill

CALDWELL, NJ — A majority of the Caldwell Borough Council recently gave a symbolic show of support to a New Jersey Assembly bill that would reduce the maximum capacity of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.

During their Feb. 20 meeting, Caldwell council members voted 4-1 in favor of a resolution that “supports the passage of A-2761 in the New Jersey Assembly and legislation to the same effect in the Senate,” with Thomas O’Donnell as the lone dissenting vote.

According to the bill, firearm magazines capable of holding up to 15 rounds of ammunition are currently legal in New Jersey.

In addition to limiting the max capacity of magazines, the bill would also designates a semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine capacity that exceeds 10 rounds as a “prohibited assault firearm.”

Read the full NJ Assembly bill here.

The Caldwell Borough Council’s resolution, which can be seen here, reads:

WHEREAS, local municipalities affect and are affected by state and federal legislation; and

WHEREAS, the Borough Council has been compelled, on occasion, to express its opinion on state legislation; and

WHEREAS, there have already been 30 mass shootings in the United States since January 1, 2018; and

WHEREAS, the federal assault weapons ban, which was signed into law in 1994, prohibited the sale of firearm magazines with capacities higher than 10 rounds; and

WHEREAS, the federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004 without being renewed by Congress; and

WHEREAS, the highest capacity magazine that is currently legal in New Jersey holds 15 rounds; and

WHEREAS, firearms with lower-capacity magazines fire fewer rounds per minute; and

WHEREAS, in 2011, 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green was fatally shot by the 13th bullet in a high capacity round in same shooting as U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords; and

WHEREAS, A. 2761, introduced into the New Jersey legislature on February 1, 2018 would limit the capacity of most firearm magazines to 10 rounds, exempting those used by law enforcement; now

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Governing Body of the Borough of Caldwell supports the passage of A. 2761 in the New Jersey Assembly and legislation to the same effect in the Senate.

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