New Jersey lawmaker wants buildings, cars taken if firearms not permitted
Posted: May 10, 2005 A New Jersey state assemblyman has introduced a bill that would allow the government to seize the home or car of anyone whose property contains an illegal firearm.
The legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman Louis Manzo, D-Jersey City, authorizes the forfeiture of "motor vehicle, building or premise" if a firearm is found in it that is not possessed legally per state law – "even if the firearm was not possessed by the owner of the motor vehicle, building or premise," states a summary of the bill, A3998. The legislation was introduced Thursday.
Manzo pointed out his bill extends government power now reserved for targeting those in possession of illegal drugs.
"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 told the Hudson Reporter.
"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," he said. "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 the proposed law, an unlicensed machine gun, handgun, rifle or shotgun are considered illegal.
Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, slammed the proposal.