Ceasefire New Jersey

Author: Sara Hilbert

If a national movement against bulk gun purchasing does not pass, Senators Sandra B. Cunningham and Teresa Ruiz M will see it happen within the state of New Jersey. S.1774 prohibits individuals from purchasing more than one handgun within one calendar month. The only exception to the bill is that the purchaser is law enforcement official, a license handguns collector, or involves a transfer of handguns between retail dealers. In an effort to reduce gun trafficking and to keep guns out of the hands of the unstable and criminals, this bill would hereinafter set forth handgun purchase permit or firearms purchaser identification card. This card restricts gun purchase from anyone that would not be in the interest of the public health, safety, or welfare. This specifically restricts anyone with a conviction of a crime or domestic violence, drug dependence, institutionalized for a mental disorder, a habitual drunkard, a physically defected person, anyone subject to a restraining order, or a juvenile involved unlawful use or possession of a destructive device.

The Brady Campaign rated New Jersey second for the strength of their gun laws. The Brady scorecards include five major categories of laws: curbing firearm trafficking, strengthening Brady background checks, child safety, banning military-style assault weapons, and making it harder to carry guns in public. Unlike the federal “End Gun Trafficking Act of 2008” this bill is more detailed in relation to the background of the gun purchaser, at times, denying second chances for one with a slightly, questionable past. Is this a common sense law or has it crossed the line?