NJ Lawmaker Trying to Undo Toughest-in-the-nation Gun Restrictions

A New Jersey state senator has introduced several new gun rights bills, what he’s calling the “first installment” of a 15-bill mega package of legislation designed to advance safe and responsible firearm ownership in the Garden State.

Sen. Edward Durr, R-Gloucester, said he’s doing this because too often we’ve had “the governor and many legislatures in the past scream about gun violence but they ended up taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens."

He said gun control legislation that’s been introduced has never stopped criminals from getting guns, so he’s determined to protect the rights of people who obey the law.

One proposed measure, S2484, would allow honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard to carry handguns.

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“They carried weapons all their career in the military. If there’s no criminal record and they have an honorable discharge, why shouldn’t they be able to carry? I see no reason why they should have a problem,” he said.

A companion bill, S2486, would allow active duty members of the U.S. military to carry a firearm at all times.

“They’re carrying weapons all the time in their normal daily life. You know as well as I do sometimes they are targets, so they should be able to protect themselves,” said Durr.

Another measure, S2488, calls for the removal of capacity limits for ammunition magazines.

“Many gun manufacturers build these guns with a larger capacity than what Jersey allows, so people have to go out of their pocket and spend extra money to accommodate Jersey’s rules," he said.

A fourth proposed bill, S2490, would repeal the “Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018” known as the Red Flag law, which allows legally owned guns to be seized by the courts under certain situations.

A fifth bill, S2602, would eliminate the 30-day waiting period between handgun purchases in New Jersey.

A false narrative

He said claims that guns owned legally can be used by others to commit crimes or in mass shootings are false.

“My guns have never left the house and shot a person in their entire existence. It’s a narrative they like to portray but the only people hurt by gun laws are law-abiding citizens,” he said. “The criminal will get a gun anytime it wants, any day. They’re going to buy the black market gun.”

Durr said Gov. Phil Murphy has admitted most guns confiscated from criminals come from other states.

“So why are you writing all of these laws? They are not stopping the criminals from bringing the guns into the state," Durr said.