Newtown Parents Call On NJ Gov. Chris Christie To Sign Ammo Bill
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Parents of children killed in the 2012 Newtown, Conn., school shooting joined Democrats Thursday in calling on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to sign a ban on ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
The measure was passed by the New Jersey Assembly on Thursday and will now go to Christie for his consideration. It previously passed the state Senate.
The Republican governor and potential 2016 presidential candidate signed many firearms bills into law last year. But he issued conditional vetoes of some of the more contentious ones, including a ban on .50-caliber rifles.
Christie's office declined to comment on the bill's passage Thursday.
Advocates say the ammo magazine limit could make mass shootings less deadly.
"This is a long overdue but welcome step toward the goal of preventing gun violence in New Jersey," said bill co-sponsor Louis Greenwald, a Democrat who represents parts of Camden and Burlington counties. "Gov. Christie needs to do the right thing here and sign this bill."
Gun rights supporters say it would make it harder for citizens to protect themselves and could have the effect of banning certain guns.
Current New Jersey law allows magazines to hold a maximum of 15 rounds of ammunition. Supporters of the bill say the ammunition magazine limit could make mass shootings less deadly by requiring shooters to stop to reload more often, giving police and potential victims more time to react.
Neil Heslin's son, Jesse Lewis, was in Victoria Soto's class on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary.
"When the gunman had to reload, Jesse realized he was reloading and yelled for his classmates to run," Heslin told WCBS 880's Levon Putney.
They all got out, except for Jesse.
"I'm sure that boy has a special place in heaven, but had that assailant had less rounds, maybe Jesse would have gotten away also," Greenwald said.
The measure passed in the Assembly last year but didn't pass the Senate after Senate President Steve Sweeney balked at allowing it to come up for a vote. But Sweeney eventually supported the measure, and it passed the Senate earlier this month.
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