An Assembly Resolution urging the Attorney General to take legal action against irresponsible gun dealers and manufacturers.

Whereas, More than 400,000 people are victimized by gun violence in the United States each year and often crimes are committed by dangerous persons who cannot legally purchase or possess firearms, according to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence; and

Whereas, Virtually all guns used in a crime come from a relatively small number of gun dealers; specifically five percent of gun dealers in the United States sell 90 percent of guns used in crimes and they often engage in business practices that they know are irresponsible or even illegal; and

Whereas, Irresponsible gun dealers supply the criminal gun market by either intentionally engaging in or being willfully blind in supplying dangerous people with guns; and

Whereas, Guns take three major pathways from irresponsible dealers to dangerous and high-risk people: 1) through straw purchasers who are able to pass the required background check and buy guns for others; 2) gun traffickers who buy guns in order to illegally resell them without the required license; and 3) dealers who sell illegal guns or otherwise provide guns "off the books," which includes dealers transferring guns without completing a required background check and often claiming those guns were lost, stolen, or misplaced or having inadequate security measures that enable their guns to be easily stolen; and

Whereas, Certain gun manufacturers know that a small percentage of gun dealers supply the majority of guns used in crimes, but these manufacturers choose to profit off of the criminal market rather than take responsible actions to protect the public safety, which includes refusing to supply these dealers with guns; and

Whereas, The violence enabled by these irresponsible gun dealers and manufacturers can manifest as gang violence, domestic violence, hate crimes, or attacks on law enforcement; and

Whereas, These irresponsible gun dealers and manufacturers should be held accountable as their actions enable criminals to victimize the communities in this State; now, therefore,

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

1. This House respectfully urges the Attorney General to take legal action against gun dealers and manufacturers who are supplying the criminal market with guns by engaging in business practices that they know are irresponsible or even illegal.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Governor and the Attorney General.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the Attorney General to take legal action against gun dealers and manufacturers who are supplying the criminal market with guns by engaging in business practices that they know are irresponsible or even illegal.

More than 400,000 people are victimized by gun violence in the United States each year and often crimes are committed by dangerous persons who cannot legally purchase or possess firearms, according to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Virtually all guns used in a crime come from a relatively small number of gun dealers; specifically five percent of gun dealers in the United States sell 90 percent of guns used in crimes and they often engage in business practices that they know are irresponsible or even illegal.

Guns take three major pathways from irresponsible dealers to dangerous and high-risk people: 1) through straw purchasers who are able to pass the required background check and buy guns for others; 2) gun traffickers who buy guns in order to illegally resell them without the required license; and 3) dealers who sell illegal guns or otherwise provide guns "off the books," which includes dealers transferring guns without completing a required background check and often claiming those guns were lost, stolen, or misplaced or having inadequate security measures that enable their guns to be easily stolen.

In addition, certain gun manufacturers know that a small percentage of gun dealers supply the majority of guns used in crimes, but these manufacturers choose to profit off of the criminal market rather than take responsible actions to protect the public safety, which includes refusing to supply these dealers with guns.

As a result, these irresponsible gun dealers and manufacturers should be held accountable as their actions enable criminals to victimize the communities in this State.