SENATE, No. 98

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes penalty for failing to report unintentional discharge of firearm in private residence.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

An Act concerning the unintentional discharge of a firearm and supplementing chapter 39 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    a.  Any person who unintentionally discharges a firearm as defined in N.J.S.2C:39-1 into, or in the direction of, a private residence shall by the quickest means possible give notice of the unintentional discharge of the firearm to the local police department, or to the State Police if the residence is located in a municipality that does not have a police department.  A person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section by failing to report the unintentional discharge of a firearm shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.  For the purpose of this section, "private residence" means any building or structure, including a movable or temporary building or structure, or a portion thereof, which is used as a home or place of lodging.

     b.    Nothing in this section shall preclude an indictment and conviction for any other offense defined by the laws of this State.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires a person who unintentionally discharges a firearm into, or in the direction of, a private residence to report the incident to a local police department or the State police.  The bill provides that a person who fails to report the unintentional discharge of a firearm within a private resident is guilty of a disorderly persons offense.  A disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.  The bill defines the phrase "private residence" as any building or structure, including a movable or temporary building or structure, or a portion thereof, which is used as a home or place of lodging.