BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. (CBS/AP) — Gov. Phil Murphy signed a measure into law Tuesday aimed at making so-called smart guns available in New Jersey. The guns can only be fired by one designated user.
“The scourge of gun violence is a pervasive problem that affects our entire nation,” Murphy said. “I am proud to work with our legislators to implement some of the toughest gun laws in the country to protect our residents and make our communities safer for all. We see the results of our work by having among the lowest rates of gun-related deaths nationwide.”
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The move made New Jersey’s strict gun laws even tougher, and Anthony Colandro is none too happy about it.
“It does nothing to make New Jersey safer, there is not going to be one criminal that reads the headlines tomorrow and say, ‘Oh, it’s going to be harder for us to commit a crime,’” said Colandro, who owns a shooting range in New Jersey.
Colandro believes the new laws actually hurt legal gun owners and violate the Second Amendment. The new measure requires that retailers carry and sell at least one smart gun.
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Murphy also signed three other measures aimed at stopping gun violence. One bill requires that the attorney general and health commissioner come up with a suicide prevention and training course for gun sellers.
Another bill restricts people convicted of serious crimes from buying firearms, as well as barring the sale of guns without a serial number. A fourth bill makes it a crime to solicit a gun from someone who is already legally disqualified from buying a weapon.
Tuesday’s laws were the second batch of gun-related measures the first-term governor has signed. Murphy campaigned on a platform of strengthening New Jersey’s already strong gun control measures.
“I am proud to work with our legislators to implement some of the toughest gun laws in the country to protect our residents and make our communities safer for all,” Murphy said Tuesday.
The goal is to prevent accidental shootings or stolen guns from being used by a criminal. Colandro argues the technology isn’t 100% effective.
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“I’m all for technology but give me any electronic device that can’t be hacked, that can’t crash, that can’t have a problem. I’m in favor of smart guns once our police and military start carrying them,” Colandro said.
Colandro says he and other law abiding gun owners will continue to make sure their constitutional rights are not shot down.
“The only thing we can rely on is lawsuits and hoping the Supreme Court will take our cases because they’re going to continue to do this,” he said.
CBS3’s Greg Argos contributed to this report.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
