New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law Thursday that strengthens restrictions on who can obtain a public carry permit for firearms and where those weapons can be taken, and in response, the National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit against the state.
Murphy introduced the proposal in June after the US Supreme Court ruled in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. bruen.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a new restrictive public transportation bill this week, prompting a lawsuit from the NRA.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
The courts ruled that it is illegal to require New York applicants to show “good cause” to carry a gun in public. The ruling also invalidated New Jersey laws that had been in place for years, restricting public carry to those who demonstrate a “justified need.”
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Within 24 hours of the court’s ruling, Murphy proposed legislation that strengthened the legal disqualifications for those eligible to obtain a permit to carry and expanded the list of places where firearms may not be carried.
On Thursday, Murphy signed the bill into law.
“Today’s bill signing is the culmination of months of negotiations between this Administration and our partners in the Legislature, fulfilling the promise I made this summer to keep New Jersey safe after the terrible Supreme Court decision,” Murphy said. “While I strongly disagree with that decision, we must abide by it, and current law fully respects the Second Amendment while keeping guns out of the wrong hands and preventing them from proliferating in our communities. I am proud to sign this common-sense legislation that prohibits carrying weapons in sensitive locations, including our day care centers, hospitals, libraries, and stadiums.”
A man removing a pistol from a leather holster on his belt.
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Under the new law, concealed carry is not allowed in “high density” places, places with vulnerable populations or where there is First Amendment or government activity.
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The map created by the Crime Prevention Research Center shows constitutional laws by state.
(Crime Prevention Research Center)
A full list of places where a concealed carry permit does not work like a free pass to carry a gun can be found in the law.
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According to a news release from Murphy’s office, the only exceptions to the concealed-carry law locations are for law enforcement and security guards.
“New Jersey continues to lead the nation in the fight against gun violence and demonstrate how common sense gun laws help keep residents and law enforcement safe,” said Attorney General Matthew Platkin. “The legislation signed into law today strengthens our efforts to keep communities safe by keeping firearms out of the wrong hands and away from sensitive places, like where children learn and play.”
The new law also restricts who is not eligible to obtain a permit to carry, including those with an arrest pending, those subject to certain restraining orders, those who have violated a restraining order, and those subject to voluntary admissions to mental institutions or hospitals. .
Damon Thueson displays a holster at a concealed carry permit class hosted by USA Firearms Training on December 19, 2015 in Provo, Utah.
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The application process has also become more vigorous, as four character endorsements from non-application references must be provided. Anyone used as a backup will be interviewed by police to determine if the applicant is a threat to themselves or the public.
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Liability insurance must also be obtained and provided, with coverage up to $300,000, and the application fee increased from $2 to $25.
The NRA wasted no time in filing a lawsuit against the state for its attack on the Second Amendment.
“New Jersey simply changed its focus from an unconstitutional law that allowed ‘nobody’ to lead to another unconstitutional law that allowed ‘nowhere,'” the lawsuit alleges. “Despite the clear ruling by the United States Supreme Court, New Jersey simply does not want ordinary people to carry firearms in public, as is their fundamental right to do.”
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“The NRA looks forward to another victory to vindicate the constitutional rights of our members in the Garden State,” the NRA told Fox News Digital.
The lawsuit, titled Siegel v. Platkin lists the NRA’s state affiliate, the New Jersey Association of Rifle and Pistol Clubs, as a plaintiff in the case. Appeared in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey.
