The Assembly held a marathon voting session late Monday, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin stepped away from the rostrum to issue a press release. The statement was necessary because the Governor’s proposed gun bill package, which has been front and center for the last two weeks, seemingly didn’t have support and had become a skeleton of its original self. Only one of the major bills from the package, A.3686, advanced in the Assembly. This legislation requires non-residents to register their firearms when moving into the state.
The bills that did not receive action in the Assembly on Monday included microstamping, a .50 Caliber ban, mandatory storage, FID training and renewal requirements, ammunition registration and manufacturer liability. The storage mandate would essentially make self-defense in one’s own home impossible, while the other bills are designed to go after traditional handguns and ammunition.
NRA and ANJRPC testified against the bills in Assembly and Senate Committees last week. S.372, the companion bill to A.3686, was the only bill that the Senate considered, and it was amended but did not advance in the full Senate.
Where does that leave gun owners in the Garden State? The good news is that nothing has passed the Legislature at this point, despite one-party control in Trenton. This was the last voting session in this calendar year. While reason for cautious optimism, there is one more day currently scheduled before their 2021 session officially adjourns – January 10. The Speaker’s statement said that he will "consider re-posting a comprehensive package in January."
There is overwhelming evidence that NRA member calls have been making a difference! We understand that this campaign has required sustained pressure, but it works! Gun grabbers in Trenton will never let up, and we cannot either. Help us see this thing through and keep fighting with us.
To those of you who have responded, thank you. And remember, even if you have taken action already, please continue to do so. Please contact your Assembly members and respectfully ask them to oppose all of the Governor’s gun control package. These bills only target law-abiding gun owners and do nothing to crackdown on criminals.
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