Gov. Phil Murphy signs package of gun safety bills into law in New Jersey
METUCHEN, N.J. -- There are new gun laws in New Jersey.
Early Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Phil Murphy signed several measures into law in response to the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas.
CBS2's Elijah Westbrook has more on what the bills contain.
The governor and other supporters believe the new laws will make the state safer, but those who aren't in favor say the new legislation goes too far.
Gun safety advocates such as William Kaminski and his wife, who are part of the group Moms Demand Action, came out in support of the stricter laws.
"My concern is that we're going to see more and more of irresponsible gun carrying in the state," Kaminski said.
Some of the new restrictions aim to:
- Regulate ammunition sales
- Require gun owners who move from out of state to register their firearms and obtain a new firearm purchaser identification card
- Mandate training to obtain that card, which must be renewed every 10 years
- Give the attorney general power to bring legal action against gun manufacturers and retailers
"We're here to see that Gov. Murphy is doing everything possible to maintain sensible gun carry," Kaminski said.
But not everyone is on board with the legislation. Westbrook took a quick trip to Iselin, where he met Dominic Araco, owner of Woodbridge Arms & Archery Company, a small gun shop on Queen Road.
"I think that they're prosecuting legal gun owners and people who possess legal firearms," Araco said. "You go out and buy a firearm and you do something bad to someone, I'm responsible because I did the transfer? You passed all the background checks, but I'm responsible? I just don't think that that's right."
Araco said the gun laws have gotten too strict in New Jersey. His stance comes after the passing of Gov. Murphy's strengthening of background checks, limitation on ammunition magazines, and establishment of the red flag law, a form of legislation that allows police to take a gun away from a person they believe presents danger to others or themselves.
This is the third gun reform package the governor has backed since taking office in 2018.
