On Monday, March 26th, the NJ Assembly will vote on the following Gun Safety Bills:
A1181: Requires firearms seizure when certain mental health professionals determine that a patient poses an immediate danger to themselves or others
A1217: Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Allows family members to notify police and have firearms seized from loved ones who pose an immediate danger to themselves or others
A2757: Background check with every private gun sale
A2758: Codifying regulations on handgun permits
A2759: Ban armor piercing ammunition (clarifies definition of what constitutes “body piercing armor”)
A2761: Reducing ammunition magazine capacity from 15-10
My thoughts: I support all 6 of these bills, and I anticipate that they will all pass, given the current Democratic majority in the Assembly. A1181 has met with resistance in the past, mostly due to disagreements over the definition of who qualifies as a “mental health professional.” That objection has been addressed via amendments, and I anticipate it will now garner bi-partisan support. A1217, commonly referred to as “ERPO”, has been gaining steam, and I do expect support for that bill as well.
I expect there to be resistance, along partisan lines, for the remaining bills, although A2759 ought to be a no-brainer–body piercing ammunition is already illegal in NJ, this bill just clarifies the current law to more clearly define some new types of bullets that have the ability to pierce armor.
PLEASE CLICK HERE to visit the NJ Legislature website to see the drop down menu, choose your Municipality, select your Assembly representatives, and email them to express your views on these bills.
