Vote on New Jersey smart gun bill postponed

TRENTON, N.J. -- Lawmakers delayed voting on legislation to increase the sales of so-called smart guns, which can only be fired by authorized users.

A Democrat-led Assembly panel was set to consider the measure, which Republican Gov. Chris Christie pocket vetoed last session, on Thursday but postponed a vote.

The bill requires firearms dealers to keep an inventory of one or more types of personalized handguns on premises.

The bill's authors say the measure addresses a problem with a 2002 law requiring only smart guns to be sold in the state within three years of their availability.

That requirement, legislators say, delayed the marketing of smart guns because opponents of the law pressured retailers not to sell the weapons.

The Senate already passed the legislation.