AJR29

A Joint Resolution establishing the Firearms Advisory Task Force.

Whereas, Protecting the public safety and welfare is the most basic duty of government, and to this end, effective and reasonable measures must be implemented to keep citizens safe from violence; and

Whereas, New Jersey has taken a variety of steps to combat gun violence, including requiring prison terms for those who use firearms in crimes; regulating the sale and transfer of guns to ensure that firearms are being purchased only by law-abiding citizens; imposing restrictions on handgun purchases; and barring the sale of assault firearms; and

Whereas, Effective limitations regarding firearms, as well as other deterrent and enforcement measures, are essential to maintaining the public safety, but necessarily impact all residents of this State, including law-abiding collectors of firearms and competitive and recreational firearms users; and

Whereas, In 2007, New Jersey entered into a cooperative agreement, the first of its kind in the nation, forming a partnership with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to allow New Jersey State Police direct access to “E-TRACE’ data, to trace illegal firearms back to their source as yet another measure to uncover gun crimes and deter illegal gun trafficking; and

Whereas, It is fitting and proper, and in the public interest, to examine the effectiveness of our State’s firearms laws in combating gun violence and the impact of these restrictions on law-abiding firearms owners, and to maintain a dialogue with interested parties and experts; now, therefore,

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

1. There is hereby established a Firearms Advisory Task Force. The purpose of the task force shall be to review, evaluate and make recommendations regarding New Jersey’s statutory and regulatory schemes and programmatic initiatives, particularly in regard to modernizing the firearm permitting and regulatory processes.

2. a. The task force shall be composed of 13 members as follows:

(1) Four members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, of whom not more than two shall be of the same political party;

(2) Four members of the General Assembly to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, of whom not more than two shall be of the same political party;

(3) The Attorney General, ex-officio, or a designee;

(4) The Superintendent of State Police, ex-officio, or a designee;

(5) A county prosecutor to be appointed by the Governor; and

(6) Two members of the public, with one who represents an association of pistol and rifle clubs operating in New Jersey to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and one who represents an organization that promotes gun violence prevention to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly.

b. Vacancies on the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original selections. The non-legislative members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and without compensation.

3. The task force recommendations shall include specific suggestions to improve the firearms permitting process and any appropriate legislative changes.

4. The members of the task force shall convene their organizational meeting within 30 days after their appointment. The President of the Senate shall appoint the chair of the task force. The members shall select a vice-chair through a majority vote. The task force shall issue a report, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation, no later than 18 months after its organizational meeting.

5. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission, or agency, as it may require and as may be available for its purposes, and to employ secretarial and clerical assistance and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as may be necessary in order to perform its duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes. The task force may consult with experts or other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.

6. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission by the task force of its report.

STATEMENT

This joint resolution establishes a Firearms Advisory Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to review, evaluate and make recommendations regarding New Jersey’s statutory and regulatory schemes and programmatic initiatives, particularly in regard to modernizing the firearm permitting and regulatory processes.

The task force is to be composed of 13 members as follows: four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate President, with not more than two from the same political party; four members of the General Assembly to be selected by the Speaker, with not more than two from the same political party; the Attorney General, ex-officio, or a designee; the Superintendent of State Police, ex-officio, or a designee; and a county prosecutor, to be appointed by the Governor. The task force also will include two members of the public, with one appointed by the Senate President and who represents an association of pistol and rifle clubs operating in New Jersey, and one appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and who represents an organization that promotes gun violence prevention.

The recommendations of the task force are to include specific suggestions to improve the firearms permitting process and any appropriate legislative changes.

The members of the task force are required to convene their organizational meeting within 30 days after their appointment. The Senate President is to appoint the chair of the task force, and the members are to select a vice-chair through a majority vote. The task force is required to issue a report containing its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation, no later than 18 months after its organizational meeting.

The task force will expire upon the submission of its report.