WHERE I STAND Access to a Quality Education Access to Quality Health Care Protecting Our Children From Gun Violence Fiscal Responsibility Protecting Social Security and Medicare Campaign Finance Reform Women's Issues Preserving Open Space and Our Natural Resources

Protecting Our Children From Gun Violence

“You need a license to drive a car, you should need a license to own a handgun.  As the nine-year Police Commissioner for Fanwood, I am familiar with the destructive nature of gun violence.  We need to send a powerful message to Congress that their stalling and their politics are putting lives at risk.  How many more children have to die before Congress takes action to limit our young people’s access to weapons”
                              – Maryanne Connelly

Mandatory Background Checks At Gun Shows.  Maryanne Connelly knows that for our children’s safety, it is time to close the gun show loophole, and require that ALL gun purchasers – regardless of where they purchase the gun – undergo a background check.

Licensing And Safety Courses For Every Person Who Owns A Handgun.  
Maryanne Connelly believes it is time to get tough.  She will fight in Congress to require that all handgun owners – just like all automobile drivers – must have a photo license and pass a safety test.  These measures – licensing and safety classes – are just common sense.  Maryanne supports the Million Mom bill to license and register all handguns.

Continue the Commitment to Community Policing.  
Maryanne Connelly will fight in Congress to continue the federal government’s commitment to community policing.  She will also work to make more funds available for school resource officers.  These specialized officers are trained to use community-policing techniques in schools.  They provide on-site security and a direct link to law enforcement agencies in order to address the causes of school-related crime and disorder, such as drug dealing and usage, assaults, truancy, vandalism, and other student safety issues.  As the former Police Commissioner of Fanwood, child safety is an issue close to Maryanne Connelly’s heart.

Require Child Safety Locks and Smart Gun Technology.  
In Congress, Maryanne Connelly will work for funding to invest in the research and development of Smart Gun technology that would ensure that only the authorized owner of a gun could use it.  She will also work to require child safety locks on all new guns.