Speaker Oliver Hails Obama Proposal as Assembly Readies Anti-Gun Violence Plan for N.J.

Says Christie Also Must Fully Enforce Mental Health Treatment Law

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) released the following statement Wednesday after President Obama proposed an assault weapons ban, improved background checks for gun buyers and other measures to curb gun violence:

“President Obama’s plan is common sense, and I am hopeful Congress will do what’s right and approve this package. We’ve mourned far too often to stand idle at this moment in history.

“Whether it’s on the streets of our New Jersey communities, a movie theater in Colorado or a school in Connecticut, enough is enough. No more talk. It’s time to do something. President Obama’s proposal marks a significant step forward and should be approved, but we should not stop there.

“The Assembly is developing measures to curb gun violence and improve mental health services here in New Jersey, and will soon move forward with a plan. Many Assembly members have put forth outstanding ideas to tackle gun violence and mental health services, and we’ll be advancing a strong package to make our state a safer place.

“But we also have to enforce what’s already on the books, and that includes the Christie administration and its abject failure to fully implement the involuntary outpatient mental health treatment law I sponsored. Gov. Christie cannot call for a focus on mental health while simultaneously ignoring this law. This is a time for action, not double-speak.”