No Ammo Buys For Violent Ex-Cons Under Legislation [AUDIO]

You've got to figure if somebody is up to no good if they've already been convicted of a violent crime and are looking to buy ammunition when they're back out on the streets.

That's the opinion of Assemblyman Gordon Johnson who is pushing legislation that would make it a crime of the fourth degree for a person to purchase, own or possess ammunition if the person has been previously convicted of certain crimes.

"It's a common sense bill," explains Johnson. "I mean, why would a person convicted of a violent crime or a crime with a weapon, why would that person need ammunition? If you have a criminal record like that you cannot buy a gun in the State of New Jersey so therefore, why would you need ammunition? Are you going to throw the bullets?"

Johnson says, "It's our job as elected officials to provide public safety. It's one of our priorities."

The list of those crimes that be bar a person from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling firearms ammunition under the bills is long. It is as follows: Aggravated assault; arson; burglary; escape; extortion; homicide; kidnapping; robbery; aggravated sexual assault; sexual assault; bias intimidation; endangering the welfare of a child; stalking; a crime involving domestic violence; leader of a narcotics trafficking network; maintaining or operating a controlled dangerous substance production facility; manufacturing, distributing or dispensing controlled dangerous substances; employing a juvenile in a drug distribution scheme; distributing or dispensing on or near school property; distributing or possessing imitation controlled dangerous substances; possession of prohibited weapons and devices; possession of weapons for unlawful purposes; manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliances; disarming a law enforcement officer; carjacking; human trafficking; racketeering; producing or possessing chemical weapons, biological agents or nuclear or radiological devices, or terrorism.

"This is a small tool," says Johnson. "A small way to add to the ability of law enforcement to protect the public."