New Jersey already has some of the most strict gun laws in the country, and anti-gun politicians are once again proving that they will never be satisfied until they completely dismantle the Second Amendment. On Monday, June 27, anti-gun lawmakers in Trenton are planning a full day assault on your Second Amendment rights in both chambers.
Your immediate assistance is needed, and this is a critical call to action. Monday’s action includes a vote in both the Assembly and the Senate on an override of S.805/A.1211. This was the legislation that Governor Christie recently vetoed. Proponents of the bill were selling it as a “domestic violence” prevention bill, however, New Jersey already has some of the toughest domestic violence laws in the country with respect to firearms. Rather than live up to its purported billing, this legislation does little more than create a sweeping gun prohibition that could potentially ensnare falsely accused and exonerated individuals with little due process and rights restoration protections. To be clear, NRA supports harsh penalties for convicted violent abusers, but this bill’s focus is completely misguided. It also ignores the fact that there are already a plethora of state and federal gun laws that prohibit domestic abusers from purchasing or possessing firearms.
The Senate will also vote on S.2165, a measure that seeks to codify the “justifiable need” standard for concealed carry. This legislation essentially would undo the positive, incremental changes to the state’s carry laws which were recently promulgated through the Governor’s executive action.
Finally, an Assembly vote on A.1426/S.816 has been scheduled. This legislation would repeal the state’s 2002 “smart gun” law, but it would make it mandatory for all gun stores to offer smart guns for sale. The bill attempts to create forced market acceptance of a product that is technologically unviable. Presumably, the Legislature would then simply reinstate the provision in current law which bans traditional handguns after three years of smart guns being sold. This bill was also vetoed during the 2015 legislative session.
It’s critical that NRA members make their voices heard in Trenton. Gov. Christie has vetoed these measures in 2015 and 2016, and it’s imperative that the vetoes are sustained. This gubernatorial action has been the only backstop against a complete erosion of your gun rights. If a veto is successfully overridden it would set a terrible precedent for future gun votes. NRA has been working hard to block these terrible bills and sustain vetoes.
Please click the “Take Action” button above to contact your state Senator and your Assembly members and respectfully urge them to oppose these measures. The last thing New Jersey needs is another gun control bill!