TRENTON – Highly-powerful .50 caliber weapons used by the armed forces and special police units would be banned for civilian use according to legislation that gained the approval of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday as the panel followed through on the legislative plan by Senate Democrats to reduce the threat of gun violence in New Jersey.
Sponsored by Senator Raymond Lesniak and Senator Barbara Buono, the bill, S-2178, would prohibit the future sale and possession of .50 caliber rifles capable of firing 12,000 “foot-pounds” or more of power.