The New Jersey state Senate Law and Public Safety Committee advanced a package of bills on Thursday aimed at tightening the state’s already strict gun laws – coming on the heels of today’s supreme court ruling striking down the New York gun law.
Sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari, Senator Joe Cryan, Senator Richard Codey and Senator Andrew Zwicker, the bills would prohibit .50 caliber rifles, crack down on ghost guns, strictly control the use of body armor, require micro stamping, require firearms training, regulate the sale of handgun ammunition, and have new residents register firearms from other states.
“The surge in gun violence has been horribly tragic, with lives lost, victims wounded and loved ones suffering heartbreak,” said Senator Cryan, the former Union County Sheriff. “We have to continue to do all we can to keep deadly firearms out of the hands of those who pose a danger, off the streets, away from schools and out of our communities.”
“As we have all seen recently, gun violence is a real and scary risk in our country and we must act now to reduce the frequency at which it occurs,” said Senator Codey (D-Essex/Morris). “We must ensure that gun owners are aware of how to safely handle and store a firearm to better protect our residents from unnecessary harm. Additionally, by incorporating microstamping technology, law enforcement would have a critical aid that would assist them in tracking down weapons used in crimes. We have to do all that we can on God’s green Earth to stop these shootings from occurring. Everyone needs to be held accountable, and if you misuse a firearm, you shouldn’t be able to get away with it.”
The bills now head to the full Assembly and Senate for a final vote, before Governor Murphy can sign them.
New Jersey already has one of the tightest gun laws in the country, including the law known as “justifiable need,” which parallels New York’s “proper cause” provision that was thrown out by the Supreme Court this morning.
New Jersey’s “right to carry” law is currently being challenged in court by gun-rights advocates.
A short synopsis of the bills are below:
- .50 Caliber Rifles, S-2905: The bill would prohibit the future sale and possession of high-powered .50 caliber rifles by civilians. It would set the strict limits by revising the legal definition of a “destructive device” to include rifles capable of firing a projectile of .50 caliber or greater. (Scutari)
- Ghost Guns, S-2846: The bill would increas penalties for crimes related to the manufacture or construction of ghost guns. It would upgrade from a from a third degree to a second degree the penalties for purchasing parts to manufacture a firearm without a serial number, construct a firearm with a three-dimensional printer, manufacture an undetectable firearm, or transport a firearm without a serial number.
- Body Armor, S-2847: The bill would prohibit the possession of body armor and require registration in certain circumstances. It would prohibit the sale, transferring body armor without a permit, limiting most use to law enforcement and the armed services. The Attorney General would develop regulations and oversee permits. This would be the toughest body armor law in the country.
- Handgun Ammunition, S-2903: The bill regulates the sale of handgun ammunition and requires ammunition purchasers to exhibit a valid ID.
- Micro Stamping, S-2907: This bill would require licensed retail dealers of firearms to sell microstamping-enabled firearms when the Attorney General determines they are commercially available.
- Firearms Training, S-2906: The bill requires safety training prior to issuance of firearms purchaser identification card. The safety instruction in the safe handling and storage of firearms would be approved by the Superintendent of State Police. It also requires a color photograph and thumb print of the gun card holder.
- New Resident Gun Licensing, S-1204: Anyone who brings a gun with them when they relocate to New Jersey would have 60 days to obtain a purchaser identification card and register their weapon with municipal or state law enforcement. It would hold people from out of state to the gun safety standard that New Jersey holds its own residents.
Remember, these restrictions only apply to law abiding citizens, the criminals who are murdering people with guns in democratic run NJ cities don’t follow the laws. But keep voting for the Democrats as they continue to restrict your basic rights. The SCOTUS issued 2 landmark decisions upholding up your basic constitutional rights yesterday and today and the ones against it are the Democrats.
Dere’s RINOs in dere.
Everyone except the elected officials know that criminals DO NOT obey laws and will procure guns. However, the state WILL NOT allow me to own and use a bullet proof vest to prevent me from a bullet’s harm. Will someone please advise me of how I can legally protect myself from a bullet fired by a criminal who does not obey the laws?