If passed into law, a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Louis Manzo (D-31st Dist) would impose the same strict penalties on those caught with illegal guns as are currently in place for those caught with illegal drugs.
The bill would authorize the forfeiture of any motor vehicle, building or premise in which a firearm was unlawfully possessed.
“If we will do this when someone is caught with illegal drugs, it only makes sense that we should do it for when someone has an illegal weapon,” Manzo said during an interview.
Under current law, forfeiture actions are limited to contraband and property used to further unlawful activity or illegal acts. Manzo’s bill would expand the law to allow law enforcement officials to seize a vehicle, building or premise if the fire arm is found within it, even if the weapon is not possessed by the owner.
“We currently allow this to take place when illegal drugs are found. This is to keep a landlord or someone driving the car from turning a blind eye to the drugs people in an apartment or passenger in the car is doing. I think if a landlord knows there is an illegal gun in the house, he or she should do something about it. And this may encourage someone driving a car to keep a person from carrying a gun.”
Under this law, an unlicensed machine gun, hand gun, rifle or shotgun are considered illegal.
Manzo said although he was very pleased with the gun-buy back program that was recently conducted in Jersey City, he said his legislation would put pressure on those who knowingly harbor people with weapons or do nothing when they know weapons exists.
This would not punish innocent people, he said, but could be imposed on those locations or vehicles where people are aware of a problem and do nothing to solve it.
“This is one more tool law enforcement can use in an effort to do away with illegal weapons,” he said. “Unlike the buy back program, this doesn’t cost the taxpayers money to get rid of illegal guns.”
Transfer station legislation
In another bill that could have an impact in the Jersey City portion of Manzo’s district, the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee earlier this month released legislation that would give municipalities more zoning control over transfer stations.
The measure permit municipalities with two or more existing transfer stations to have a voice in the zoning process concerning proposals to locate an additional transfer station within its boundaries.
A transfer station is a facility where garbage trucks consolidate trash to be shipped to disposal facilities. Transfer stations receive only traditional residential and commercial solid waste.
“Solid waste facilities like transfer stations can drive down property value in a community,” said Manzo. “For an up-and-coming community like Jersey City, it is a real concern. When it comes to opening and operating another solid waste facility, Jersey City should not be locked out of the decision-making process.”
Under current law, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission controls the waste management in Jersey City, Secaucus and North Bergen in Hudson County including the addition and placement of all solid waste facilities.
Under the Manzo measure, the municipality would be given an opportunity to approve or prohibit the operation of an additional transfer station before it is decided by the commission.
“This measure is not about refusing another transfer station, it is about control,” said Manzo. “Jersey City should have a say when it comes to development that might be detrimental to the community’s growth.”
Contact Al Sullivan at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com