Sponsored by:

Assemblyman PARKER SPACE

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Assemblyman JOHN DIMAIO

District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)

Assemblyman ERIK PETERSON

District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)

Assemblywoman GAIL PHOEBUS

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Carroll

SYNOPSIS

Memorializes Congress and President of United States to enact H.R. 923, allowing reciprocity for carrying of certain concealed firearms.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Assembly Resolution memorializing the Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R. 923 of 2015-2016 allowing reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms.

Whereas, There exists a general public interest in individuals maintaining the ability to protect themselves and their families from violence; and

Whereas, The right to keep and bear arms is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States; and

Whereas, It is in the best interest of our nation that our citizens be able to travel freely from state to state without sacrificing the right to protect themselves and their families; and

Whereas, The law currently provides that states may decline to recognize permits to carry concealed firearms issued by other states, thereby causing our citizens to forego the ability to protect themselves and their families when traveling outside of their home states; and

Whereas, Uniform concealed carry reciprocity would rectify this injustice by requiring all states to recognize a concealed carry permit issued by another state; and

Whereas, In 2013, a Pennsylvania resident experienced this injustice when, despite having a license to carry a firearm in Pennsylvania, she was arrested for bringing that lawfully obtained firearm into New Jersey without having first obtained a permit or license to carry that firearm in this State; and

Whereas, H.R. 923 of 2015-2016, the "Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015," has been introduced in the United States Congress in an effort to protect our citizens' Second Amendment right, allowing them to travel between states without sacrificing the ability to protect themselves and their families; and

Whereas, H.R. 923 permits a person carrying government-issued photographic identification or state concealed carry permit to carry a concealed handgun in any state, so long as the individual is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law or from carrying a concealed firearm in the individual's state of residence; and

Whereas, H.R. 923 also requires the person to first obtain a concealed carry permit before traveling armed into other states and possess both the concealed carry permit and photo identification when doing so; and

Whereas, H.R. 923 respects states' rights by requiring the traveler to comply with those restrictions imposed by the state in which the individual is present; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Congress and the President of the United States are respectfully memorialized to enact H.R. 923, the "Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015."

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly, to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution memorializes Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R. 923, legislation allowing reciprocity between all states for the carrying of certain concealed firearms.

H.R. 923 authorizes a person carrying government-issued photographic identification to carry a concealed firearm in any state, so long as the individual is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law or from carrying a concealed firearm in the individual's state of residence. It also requires the person to first obtain a carry permit before travelling armed into other states, and respects states' rights by requiring the traveler to comply with restrictions of the state to which the individual is traveling when present in that state. States may currently decline to recognize concealed carry permits lawfully issued in other states, leaving citizens without the ability to protect themselves and their families. Such was the case in 2013 where a Pennsylvania resident, despite being licensed to carry a firearm in Pennsylvania, was arrested for bringing that lawfully obtained firearm into New Jersey without having first obtained a permit or license to carry that firearm in this State.

Congress and the President are memorialized to move forward with the enactment of H.R. 923, a measure which is necessary to safeguard our citizens' constitutionally protected Second Amendment right and to allow our citizens to engage in interstate travel without fear of sacrificing their Second Amendment right or the ability to protect themselves and their families.