VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Governor Murphy Signs Comprehensive Gun Safety Bill Package Into Law, Following Advocacy from Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action

The New Jersey chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement applauding  Governor Phil Murphy for signing into law the 3.0 gun safety bill package, a sweeping package of gun safety measures to hold bad actors in the firearm industry accountable, closing loopholes for importing out-of-state firearms, and strengthening the state’s firearm permitting laws, among other reforms. Following the tragedies in Buffalo and Uvalde and in light of the gun violence impacting New Jersey communities everyday, volunteers drove nearly 1000 calls and emails to lawmakers in support of the package.

“This moment in our gun violence crisis calls for decisive action from our leaders to put the safety of our communities first,” said Jenifer Berrier Gonzalez, a volunteer with the New Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These are wide-ranging, effective, and innovative reforms to help ensure that all New Jerseyans are kept safe. While there is still more work to be done, we appreciate Governor Murphy for continuing to fight for meaningful action to end gun violence and for signing this bill package into law — reaffirming New Jersey’s status as a leader in the gun violence prevention movement.”

The bills include, but are not limited to:

• A1765/S1893, which would allow the Attorney General to sue bad actors in the firearm industry whose misconduct harms New Jerseyans
• A1302/S2903, which would regulate the sale of handgun ammunition and develop a system of electronic reporting of handgun ammunition and firearm sales into a state database.
• A4370, which would require training prior to issuance of firearms purchaser identification card and permit to purchase handgun under certain circumstances; provides that firearms purchaser identification card is valid for ten years.
• S1204, which would require firearm owners who become New Jersey residents to obtain firearm purchaser identification cards and register handguns acquired out-of-state.

In an average year, 439 people are killed by guns in New Jersey and another 1,398 are wounded. More information about gun violence in New Jersey is available here.