VIDEO: Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) issued a statement Friday on his legislation to prohibit anonymous purchasing of ammunition in New Jersey, to help reduce the risk of straw selling and criminal stockpiling of ammunition.

Cryan’s bill would make direct mail order, Internet, telephone, and any other anonymous method of ammunition sale or transfer illegal in New Jersey. Under the bill, all ammunition sales and transfers would be required to be made as face-to-face transactions between the seller or transferor and the receiver of the ammunition. Face-to-face transactions are defined as sales or transfers in which the purchaser, transferee, or assignee is in the physical presence of the seller, transferor, or assigner. Violators would face penalties of up to $10,000 and up to 18 months in prison.

The bill passed the Assembly in February by a vote of 46-29.

A transcript of comments from Assemblyman Cryan is appended below:

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union):

“This bill, which basically requires that any ammunition purchase be done face to face.

“And basically it prohibits internet sales; it prohibits straw sales. It requires that the person actually utilizing the ammunition purchase it. I pointed out particularly in the Colorado shooting where the shooter had 6,000 rounds of Internet-purchased ammunition stockpiled.

“But most importantly, what’s the problem with buying things face to face? What’s the problem with having to report those sales? What’s the problem with a dealer doing that? And we think that’s an important component.

“No weapon can be utilized without ammunition and it’s only another piece of a common sense package.” TLS.

Assemblyman Cryan on Bill Prohibiting Internet, Phone & Other Anonymous Ammo Purchases in NJ (A-3666) from NJ Assembly Democratic Office on Vimeo.