Gov. Phil Murphy holds a press conference on the push for guns laws in Westfield on June 19, 2019. – EDWIN J. TORRES/GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
Gov. Phil Murphy accused Senate President Stephen Sweeney of dragging his feet on several gun proposals—exemplified by nixed proposals for fees on gun and ammunition purchases in the Legislature’s 2020 budget, and not scheduling a vote Thursday on a bill that would ramp up the reporting requirements to State Police on ammunition purchases.
“The Senate President can do the right thing by moving the entire gun safety package to second reading. I urge him to do so. The whole package by the way, not just a few cherry-picked bills,” Murphy said Wednesday at a press conference in Westfield – a site chosen following the arrest last week of a Delaware man with a .45-caliber firearm and 130 rounds of hollow-point ammunition in front of an elementary school in the city.
Sweeney, D-3rd District, has remained a key political rival of Murphy, up through budget negotiations, and on such topics as the marijuana legalization efforts and a replacement for the state’s massive corporate tax break programs, which expire in July.
Senate Bill 3898 would require ammo-buyers to provide a photo ID and for gun-store owners to maintain an electronic database of all gun and ammo purchases, and to report ammo purchases to the New Jersey State Police.
The measure is scheduled for a vote in the Assembly Thursday, but is not scheduled for a vote in the Senate. However, several additional gun regulations are also up votes in both houses that day.
“From what we saw in this community this week, there’s no reason not to pass this bill,” Murphy added.
The Senate Democrats Office declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the Legislature’s $38.7 billion budget nixes Murphy’s proposed $1.4 million from the firearms fee and $3.2 million from the proposed ammo fee.
“My proposal to bring New Jersey’s gun licensing fees into the 21st century, that were last established in 1966… so now we’re looking at more of the same. It will continue to cost New Jerseyans more to buy a license for their dog than it will for someone to get a license for their gun,” Murphy said.
Under the current fee schedule a handgun permit costs $2, a firearms ID card costs $5, a handgun carry permit costs $50, a retail gun dealer license costs $50 and a gun wholesale/manufacturer license costs $150.
