As communities in New Jersey and throughout the country continue to be ravaged by gun violence, Senator Vin Gopal has proudly joined the fight to end this devastating epidemic.
Friday, June 1, National Gun Violence Awareness Day, marked the beginning of #WearOrange Weekend, during which Americans across the country honored the lives of victims and survivors of gun violence by wearing orange. This bright, powerful color sends a clear message: we demand to be seen and we demand to see change.
“There isn’t a community in America that hasn’t been impacted by gun violence in some way. Right here in Monmouth County, we have seen senseless gun violence take innocent lives and compromise the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Senator Gopal.
“I had the honor of joining Moms Demand Action this weekend in Asbury Park to discuss the importance of firearm regulations. This inspiring group of advocates has fought hard for common sense gun legislation to ensure other parents never have to lose a child to gun violence. I am proud to join them in this fight and will continue to work to save the lives of innocent New Jerseyans.”
In response to the continuing instances of gun violence in the 11th Legislative District, Senator Vin Gopal introduced several pieces of legislation that would institute common sense gun regulations designed to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others.
“We took a proactive approach to responding to gun violence. We have introduced several pieces of legislation that look to institute common sense firearm regulations that keep responsible, law-abiding gun owners, their families and their communities safe.”
This legislation includes:
- A bill that prohibits the State from investing pension and annuity funds in manufacturers of firearms or firearm ammunition. We were thrilled to see the State of New Jersey proactively divest from a company that produces semi-automatic weapons as a response.
- A bill that prohibits an individual who has been convicted of animal cruelty from possessing or purchasing a firearm.
- A bill which requires the safe storage of a firearm and establishes penalties for improper firearm storage.
- A bill which establishes a process by which a family member, law enforcement agency, or teacher may petition a court to have a person’s firearms temporarily seized upon finding that the person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to themselves or others.
- A bill which requires firearms seizure when certain health professionals determine a patient poses a threat of harm to themselves or others.
“There is a clear need for increased gun regulations that are designed to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals who should not have access to a weapon on the first place, while keeping responsible gun owners and their families safe,” said Senator Gopal.
“With #WearOrange Weekend now behind us, I ask you to continue the fight to end the gun violence epidemic facing our nation and help us in our mission to save innocent lives. This is quite literally a matter of life and death. Together, we can save lives.”