Local lawmakers in the Garden State will be putting two new gun-related measures before Governor Christie this week.
Proposed legislation arriving at Christie’s desk is nothing new, but with his current bid for the Republican nomination for President on the line, each statement holds more value for potential voters.
The first proposed bill would require gun retailers to sell “smart guns”, or firearms that are only accessible to an individual based on identifying technology like a bracelet or fingerprint.
While the proposed bill would still allow merchants to sell traditional firearms alongside these personalized guns with child-safe identification requirements, it would still require significant investment from business owners.
Smart gun technology has received very little support in the firearms community, and Christie will most likely take that extra burden to shop owners into consideration.
The second measure proposes to increase the list of crimes that would make a person ineligible for a firearms purchase.
According to an article by NorthJersey.com, the law would widen the list of crimes to include carjacking, gang criminality, racketeering and terroristic threats.
This legislation will likely hold much more significance as Christie’s decisions will receive national attention due to his campaign. His state is notorious for it’s strict gun laws, but it remains to be seen if gun retailers will suffer once again.
On the other hand, the new national rhetoric of “keep guns out of the hands of the bad guys” seems to be taking hold. The additional crimes added to the list of disqualifiers may get a more open reception, but still hits firearms retailers in the wallet.
Watch for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to review these proposed measures carefully. His decision on them will likely play a large role in his campaign support.
