Gov. Murphy signs bill aimed at making smart guns available

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a measure aimed at making so-called smart guns available in the state.

News 12 Staff

Jul 16, 2019, 9:06 PM

Updated 1,990 days ago

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Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a measure aimed at making so-called smart guns available in the state.
The governor signed the bill into law Tuesday alongside Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and other lawmakers. He also signed three other measures aimed at reining in gun violence.
Smart guns or personalized handguns are firearms that can be fired only by their designated user.
Proponents of the legislation say their sale in New Jersey and across the United States has been held up because of a 2002 New Jersey law that mandated only smart guns be sold here once they became marketable anywhere in the country.
The new law repeals that requirement and instead mandates only that gun retailers offer a smart gun for sale.
"We must take great pride in what we are doing today. These new laws will continue to send the message that we take gun safety and the safety of our communities seriously in New Jersey,” Murphy said.
The laws also expand on the list of crimes prohibiting gun ownership, strengthen anti-gun trafficking laws and aid in suicide prevention efforts.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.