The New Jersey legislature is currently considering a package of gun safety bills that would comprehensively address the gun violence epidemic across the state. With the inflow of out-of-state guns continuing to endanger New Jersey communities and the prolonged devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, these bills are essential to bolstering the state’s existing strong, common sense gun safety laws and keeping New Jerseyans safe.
Included in the gun safety package are:
- A-3696/S-2240, a bill that would require gun owners to store their firearms in a securely locked box or container in place that would be considered secure, or to secure the firearm with a trigger lock.
- S-112/A-1098, a bill to implement microstamping technology — an innovation that provides law enforcement with ability to link firearm cartridge casings found at the scene of a crime to a specific firearm — to all new handguns purchased in the state.
- S-2169/A-5030, a bill that would require individuals to complete a firearm safety training course in order to receive a permit to purchase a gun or receive a firearm ID card.
There is also a proposed measure that would hold bad actors in the gun industry accountable, in an effort to join New York’s recent success in enacting similar legislation, as well as a measure to mitigate the harms that result from active shooter drills at schools, by providing advance notice to students and parents about upcoming drills and ensuring that the exercises are trauma-informed and age-appropriate.
Governor Murphy announced the suite of bills in April of 2021, after having previously overseen the implementation of a number of similar legislative actions in 2018 and 2019. Earlier this year, Governor Murphy also joined the governors of New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut in signing a memorandum of understanding to share gun crime data across state lines to better combat interstate gun trafficking and violent crime. The governor also previously approved the new state budget passed by the legislature this year, which included $10 million in violence prevention funding.
If you would like to speak to a New Jersey Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, please don’t hesitate to reach out.