A bill to raise the minimum age to buy rifles and shotguns in New Jersey to 21 sponsored by Assembly members Roy Freiman, Annette Chaparro and Sadaf Jaffer was approved by the full Assembly on Wednesday 49-28-0.
Under current law, handguns cannot be sold to anyone under 21 although licensed gun dealers in the state are allowed to sell rifles and shotguns to buyers as young as 18.
The bill (A-509) would raise the minimum age to buy rifles and shotguns in the state to age 21.
“This is about preventing gun violence,” said Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon). “There is no easy solution to the proliferation of gun violence in this country, but there are measures we can take to help keep people safe. Bringing the rules on rifles and shotguns in line with the rules on handguns can help. If you have to be 21 to buy a handgun, the same standard should apply to rifles and shotguns.”
“We want to make it harder for people with bad intentions from getting their hands on these weapons, but we also want to strike the right balance,” said Assemblywoman Annette Chapparo (D-Hudson). “We realize that some young people use these weapons for lawful hunting or as part of their work. This bill’s careful exemptions recognize those pragmatic realities, while also limiting access to weapons for people who might want to use them to hurt others.”
According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, 18 to 20 year olds commit gun homicides at a rate nearly four times higher than adults 21 and older.
“As the mother of a child in elementary school, the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas has truly shaken me to the core,” said Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer (D-Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon). “This legislation is an important part of our efforts to make New Jersey a safer place for children and adults.”
Under the bill, a person under 21 would be allowed to possess a handgun, rifle or shot gun in accordance with current law under the following circumstances:
§ in the actual presence or under the direct supervision of a father, mother, legal guardian, or someone who holds a handgun permit or firearms purchaser ID
§ for the purpose of a military drill under the auspices of a legally recognized military organization and under competent supervision;
§ for competition, target practice, instruction, and training;
§ for hunting during the regularly designated hunting season, provided they possesses a valid hunting license;
§ People between the ages of 18 and 21 who have obtained a firearms purchaser identification card prior to the bill’s effective date are exempt.
Now raise the voting age to 21. And driving too while they’re at it. Young drivers kill way more people with cars than guns. And young voters help elect libs and their crazy policies kill more people than guns.
This will not stop crime at all, since criminals do not go to gun stores to buy their guns.
PINEY BOY
is 1 thousand percent right
While it may not stop CRIMINALS, it is a worthwhile effort to put another obstacle in the way of the average school shooter.
They are usually troubled young men with no prior criminal history who suffer from severe mental illness. Giving them another three year to mature and get medical help before being allowed to buy a rifle is a very good idea.
This is a logical and obvious regulation that is perfectly acceptable to me as a someone who advocates for gun ownership.
The law was written carefully enough to allow me to train my teenage children at the range (my 15 year old is a great shot with my AR 15).
We absolutely need to do something to cut down the occurrence of horrific tragedies, from both a moral perspective and a pragmatic one, too.