An Act concerning the issuance of permits to carry handguns and amending N.J.S.2C:58-4.

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

1. a. The Legislature finds and declares that the State's current laws and regulations concerning qualification to lawfully carry a handgun have dramatically prevented responsible citizens from having the ability to lawfully protect themselves from individual criminals and criminal gangs that illegally use handguns to threaten the innocent public's safety, personal security, and peace of mind.

b. The Legislature further finds and declares that some public officials, specifically members of the Judiciary who are nominated by the Governor, subject to extensive background checks by the State Police, and ultimately considered and confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, are, notwithstanding these substantial background and character evaluations, denied the ability to qualify for a permit to carry a handgun in all but the most exceptional cases.

c. In this era of terrorist activity proliferation and criminal gang activity, the current permitting process leaves judges vulnerable to acts of violence with no practical means to legally carry a firearm for self-protection.

d. Further, other public officials, such as members of the Legislature, whose character and record are subject to extensive public scrutiny and approval by the voters, are, notwithstanding this scrutiny, equally denied the ability to qualify for a concealed handgun carry permit.

e. Accordingly, it is desirable for New Jersey's permit to carry law to be amended as hereinafter provided.

2. N.J.S.2C:58-4 is amended to read as follows:

a. Scope and duration of authority. Any person who holds a valid permit to carry a handgun issued pursuant to this section shall be authorized to carry a handgun in all parts of this State, except as prohibited by [section 2C:39-5e] subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:39-5. One permit shall be sufficient for all handguns owned by the holder thereof, but the permit shall apply only to a handgun carried by the actual and legal holder of the permit.

All permits to carry handguns shall expire [2] two years from the date of issuance or, in the case of an employee of an armored car company, upon termination of his employment by the company occurring prior thereto whichever is earlier in time, and they may thereafter be renewed every [2] two years in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as in the case of original applications.

b. Application forms. All applications for permits to carry handguns, and all applications for renewal of [such] permits, shall be made on the forms prescribed by the superintendent. Each application shall set forth the full name, date of birth, sex, residence, occupation, place of business or employment, and physical description of the applicant, and such other information as the superintendent may prescribe for the determination of the applicant's eligibility for a permit and for the proper enforcement of this chapter. The application shall be signed by the applicant under oath, and shall be indorsed by three reputable persons who have known the applicant for at least [3] three years preceding the date of application, and who shall certify [thereon] that the applicant is a person of good moral character and behavior.

c. Investigation and approval. Each application shall in the first instance be submitted to the chief police officer of the municipality in which the applicant resides, or to the superintendent, (1) if the applicant is an employee of an armored car company, or (2) if there is no chief police officer in the municipality where the applicant resides, or (3) if the applicant does not reside in this State. The chief police officer, or the superintendent, as the case may be, shall cause the fingerprints of the applicant to be taken and compared with any and all records maintained by the municipality, the county in which it is located, the State Bureau of Identification and the Federal Bureau of Identification. He shall also determine and record a complete description of each handgun the applicant intends to carry.

[No] An application shall not be approved by the chief police officer or the superintendent unless the applicant demonstrates that he is not subject to any of the disabilities set forth in [2C:58-3c.] subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:58-3, that he is thoroughly familiar with the safe handling and use of handguns, and that he has a justifiable need to carry a handgun or satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection g. of this section. If the application is not approved by the chief police officer or the superintendent within 60 days of filing, it shall be deemed to have been approved, unless the applicant agrees to an extension of time in writing.

d. Issuance by Superior Court; fee. If the application has been approved by the chief police officer or the superintendent, as the case may be, the applicant shall forthwith present it to the Superior Court of the county in which the applicant resides, or to the Superior Court in any county where he intends to carry a handgun, in the case of a nonresident or employee of an armored car company. The court shall issue the permit to the applicant if, but only if, it is satisfied that the applicant is a person of good character who is not subject to any of the disabilities set forth in [section 2C:58-3c.] subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:58-3, that he is thoroughly familiar with the safe handling and use of handguns, and that he has a justifiable need to carry a handgun or satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection g. of this section. The court may at its discretion issue a limited-type permit which would restrict the applicant as to the types of handguns he may carry and where and for what purposes [such] the handguns may be carried. At the time of issuance, the applicant shall pay to the county clerk of the county where the permit was issued a permit fee of [$20.00] $20.

e. Appeals from denial of applications. Any person aggrieved by the denial by the chief police officer or the superintendent of approval for a permit to carry a handgun may request a hearing in the Superior Court of the county in which he resides or in any county in which he intends to carry a handgun, in the case of a nonresident, by filing a written request for [such a] the hearing within 30 days of the denial. Copies of the request shall be served upon the superintendent, the county prosecutor and the chief police officer of the municipality where the applicant resides, if he is a resident of this State. The hearing shall be held within 30 days of the filing of the request, and no formal pleading or filing fee shall be required. Appeals from the determination at [such a] the hearing shall be in accordance with law and the rules governing the courts of this State.

If the superintendent or chief police officer approves an application and the Superior Court denies the application and refuses to issue a permit, the applicant may appeal such denial in accordance with law and the rules governing the courts of this State.

f. Revocation of permits. Any permit issued under this section shall be void at such time as the holder thereof becomes subject to any of the disabilities set forth in [section 2C:58-3c.] subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:58-3, and the holder of [such a] the void permit shall immediately surrender the permit to the superintendent who shall give notice to the licensing authority.

Any permit may be revoked by the Superior Court, after hearing upon notice to the holder, if the court finds that the holder is no longer qualified for the issuance of [such a] the permit. The county prosecutor of any county, the chief police officer of any municipality, the superintendent or any citizen may apply to the court at any time for the revocation of any permit issued pursuant to this section.

g. A permit application submitted under this section by a legislator, judge of the Superior Court, or judge of a municipal court shall be approved by the chief of police, or the superintendent as the case may be, and issued by the Superior Court if the applicant presents evidence of successful completion of at least eight hours of firearm safety training.

Acceptable evidence of successful completion of safety training shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) documentation of law enforcement or military service;

(2) a certificate indicating satisfactory completion of a National Rifle Association firearms course;

(3) a certificate that the applicant is a certified National Rifle Association Firearms Instructor;

(4) a New Jersey hunting license or New Jersey Hunter's Education Course card;

(5) a copy of a firearms or hunting license or permit from any other jurisdiction that requires the holder to successfully complete a substantially equivalent firearms safety class or course; or

(6) any other documentation, certificate, or certification deemed substantially equivalent by the superintendent.

(cf: P.L.1981, c.135, s.1)

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill provides that legislators, judges of the Superior Court, and municipal court judges will be issued permits to carry handguns in certain circumstances.

Under current law, in order to be granted a permit to carry a handgun, an applicant is required to demonstrate "justifiable need." Justifiable need is defined in the regulations, at N.J.A.C.13:54-2.4, as, "the urgent necessity for self-protection, as evidenced by specific threats or previous attacks which demonstrate a special danger to the applicant's life that cannot be avoided by means other than by issuance of a permit to carry a handgun."