On May 30, 1990, under Governor Florio's leadership, New Jersey passed the strictest gun control law in the nation, banning the sale and severely restricting the possession of assault weapons in the state. The action was a significant legislative victory for Florio, who was then engaged in a public and political battle over his reforms to the state tax and education systems. Despite legislative attempts to override his vetoes and tireless efforts by gun lobbyists, who spent nearly one million dollars to defeat the assault weapon ban, Governor Florio succeeded in mobilizing the people of New Jersey into an unprecedented counter force against the National Rifle Association (NRA) and in support of the ban, demonstrating, as Florio said, that "the state of New Jersey will not be held hostage by the lobbying efforts of the National Rifle Association." In March 1993, the state senate voted unanimously to uphold the Governor's veto.