December 23, 2022
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–A New Jersey affiliate of the National Rifle Association, Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs, Inc. filed a lawsuit yesterday just as the ink dried on A4769/S3214 creating a new law that makes various revisions to requirements for obtaining a firearm purchaser identification card, permit to purchase a handgun, and permit to carry a handgun; codifies sensitive places in which firearms and destructive devices are prohibited.
The lawsuit states, “The State of New Jersey has, apparently, not gotten the message. Having lost the ability to suppress the fundamental right to bear arms in public through its now dead and buried “justifiable need” requirement,1 New Jersey has shifted gears and has made a permit to carry a handgun utterly useless. New Jersey has passed a new law, Assembly Bill A4769, which allows a permit holder to carry almost nowhere in the State. New Jersey has simply changed its approach from one unconstitutional law that allowed “no one” to carry to another unconstitutional law that allows on to carry “nowhere.” Notwithstanding the clear ruling of the United States Supreme Court, New Jersey simply does not want ordinary people to carry handguns in public—as is their fundamental right to do. “
“Plaintiffs seek declaratory and immediate and urgent injunctive relief: a declaration that New Jersey’s brand new law comprehensively suppressing the fundamental right to bear arms in public as set forth in Bruen is unconstitutional and injunctive relief precluding its enforcement.”
“A4769, freshly signed into law, is the State of New Jersey’s blatant refusal to accept the ruling of the United States Supreme Court. On June 24, 2022, the day after the Bruen decision was handed down, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced his plan to undermine the ruling in every way possible, and he and the New Jersey Legislature have made good on that unlawful promise.”
“While the Supreme Court declared that individuals have a fundamental right to carry handguns in most public places, with very limited exceptions such as courthouses, legislative assemblies and polling places, A4769 bans the carry of handguns nearly everywhere in the State of New Jersey. A4769 Section 7.”
A4769 also imposes crushing financial penalties on the exercise of the constitutional right, including forcing a person to purchase liability insurance that does not presently exist and massively raising permit fees.
“A4769 creates onerous new hurdles in the permit process, requiring personal interviews of the applicant and her references, as well as forcing references to prepare what amounts to an essay in support of the application—all this when the Supreme Court plainly prohibited permitting schemes that interfere with the right to carry. 12. A4769 invites arbitrary, subjective action by permitting authorities, through vague discretionary permitting criteria, precisely what the Supreme Court ruled is not allowed.”
A full copy of the lawsuit and bills are posted below:
You can read about the law in yesterday’s story here:
The National Rifle Association said in a Tweet, “NRA looks forward to getting another win vindicating our members constitutional rights in the Garden State. The lawsuit, titled Siegel v. Platkin, lists the NRA’s state affiliate, ANJRPC, as a plaintiff.”
NRA looks forward to getting another win vindicating our members constitutional rights in the Garden State.
The lawsuit, titled Siegel v. Platkin, lists the NRA’s state affiliate, ANJRPC, as a plaintiff. https://t.co/t0meMVDpOB