TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg today hailed action taken by President Obama to advance the use of smart gun technology. President Obama yesterday directed the Department of Defense, Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to issue a report within 90 days outlining a research and development strategy designed to expedite the real-world deployment of smart gun technology for practical use. The President also directed the departments to regularly review the availability of the technology and explore potential ways to further its use and development to more broadly improve gun safety.
“Smart guns are the future of firearms in this country, and President Obama’s action is a major step forward in the effort to advance the use of this technology. It’s also a recognition from the White House of the importance of the work we are doing here to spur the availability of smart guns and to provide consumers with the choice of purchasing a safer firearm. For more than a year, I have worked on efforts to promote this technology. That included speaking to members of President Obama’s cabinet at a briefing that I attended last year with state legislators from across the country and providing information to his staff about our legislation during his recent visit to Newark.
“I am thrilled to see increased support from the White House for smart gun technology. This is a big step forward for the nation and our effort. As the President stated, the federal government is the single largest purchaser of firearms in the country, so this has the potential to make a huge impact on the advancement of smart gun technology. New Jersey has been a leader on this issue and we must continue to take steps forward. I am hopeful the Assembly will act on my bill in lame duck and that the governor will sign it into law. This is common-sense reform that can save lives.”
Senator Weinberg was the sponsor of the 2002 Childproof Handgun law and is the sponsor of new legislation (S-3249) that aims to spur the development and availability of childproof handguns.