Gov. Murphy signs sweeping gun safety law in NJ
METUCHEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- In the midst of all of the gun violence, including the deadly July 4 parade shooting in Highland Park, Governor Phil Murphy signed several comprehensive new gun law in New Jersey Tuesday.
"In the wake of horrific mass shootings in Highland Park, Illinois, Uvalde Texas, and Buffalo, New York, it is necessary that we take action in order to protect our communities," Murphy said.
The legislation would require training for anyone who wants a firearms purchaser's ID card in addition to the already mandated training for obtaining a carry permit in New Jersey.
Another bill will allow the state's attorney general to bring "public nuisance" claims against gun manufactures and anyone marketing firearms.
Anyone who moves to New Jersey from out of state must now apply for a purchasers permit within 60 days and register their weapons with local law enforcement.
Any gun seller in New Jersey will be required to carry microstamping firearms once the technology is certified by the state attorney general.
These guns imprint each bullet with identifying information to help police trace rounds back to the weapon they were fired from.
A state registry will be created to track all ammunition sales.
And anyone who who purchases firearm parts to create unserialized guns will now be charged with a second-degree crime, raising the prison time to 5 to 10 years.
The final bill signed by governor Murphy banned all .50-caliber guns in New Jersey.
Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg joined Murphy for the signing.
Murphy has criticized the Supreme Court's recent opinion limiting how states can address the proliferation of firearms in public, but he vowed to protect the state's gun control measures.
He said his administration believes the state can still regulate who can carry concealed weapons and where they can take them.
"This is a huge step forward for commonsense gun safety and for safer communities. But it cannot be our only or last step," Murphy said.
He vowed that his administration "will do everything in our power to protect our residents."
Second Amendment advocates criticized the bill package saying it targets law abiding citizens while, "ignoring criminals and those with dangerous behavioral issues.
Scott Bach of the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs was one such critic.
Governor Murphy acknowledged the feedback from the groups saying they might not totally prevent gun crime, but if the bills reduce gun related violence then they're a good start.
"If by signing these laws today we can improve our batting average, in other words you measure your batting average by fewer gun crimes, fewer fatalities, fewer injuries, more positive street team work, better prosecution - whatever it might be - better holding the manufacturers more accountable," Murphy said. "All of that may not move the needle to batting a thousand but it improves our batting average and that's what we are all in this to do."
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