TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) today issued the following statement in response to the Murphy Administration’s action to rescind rules implemented by the Christie Administration that loosened New Jersey’s conceal carry rules by expanding the definition of “justifiable need” for the purpose of obtaining a firearm carry permit:
“I applaud Governor Murphy and his administration for taking action to restore New Jersey’s stringent conceal carry rules. The Legislature strongly opposed the Christie administration’s move to loosen New Jersey’s strict gun laws and to allow more people to become eligible for conceal carry permits in our state. We took action to block the rules, and filed a legal challenge when the administration adopted them in circumvention of our legislation.
“More guns on New Jersey’s streets is not the answer to protecting our residents. The Legislature has made that clear through its work, and I’m thrilled that Governor Murphy is taking a stand for common sense gun safety in this state.
“With this action, we are now working in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General to end the lawsuit.”
In March 2016, the Division of State Police amended handgun carry permit regulations, making it easier for an individual to obtain a gun carry permit. Led by Senator Weinberg, the Legislature voted in 2016 to invalidate the gun permit rule expansion, declaring that it was inconsistent with legislative intent. Despite the Legislature’s action, the State Police adopted the change. Both the Senate and General Assembly voted favorably on (SCR 149) a resolution supporting legal action, and the Legislature filed suit in April.