Please immediately tell committee members to severely punish anyone who commits violent acts against a partner, instead of inventing new ways to harass gun owners, which makes no one safer.
Trenton, NJ –-(Ammoland.com)- Following passage of the Senate version of “domestic violence” legislation earlier this month, the Assembly version of the legislation (A1211) is now scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee on Monday, April 4 2016.
Please immediately tell members of the Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee to oppose A1211 as written and instead support proposals that severely punish those who commit violent acts, and that hold accountable anyone who makes false allegations of domestic violence.
A1211 is the same misguided legislation that was passed by the legislature and vetoed by Governor Christie last year.
Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs ( ANJRPC ) strongly condemns anyone who commits violent aggressive acts against a domestic partner, and believes that such a person should not have access to firearms, and should be punished as severely as possible. Federal law currently provides for this, and New Jersey’s existing domestic violence law is already one of the toughest in the country.
On the surface, A1211 seems well-intentioned. But instead of focusing on increasing the severity of punishment for those who commit actual violent acts, the legislation seems obsessed with harassing and intimidating anyone who owns firearms and is also accused of domestic violence, even where no actual violence has occurred – which is often the case under existing New Jersey law.
It comes as a surprise to many that under current New Jersey law, the grounds for a “domestic violence act” may be as minor as a verbal argument that purposely causes annoyance (harassment). A verbal argument with no violent act whatsoever can and frequently does result in seizure and forfeiture of firearms, and permanent loss of gun rights. There is even one infamous case where throwing pretzels resulted in a domestic violence claim.
Other similar types of non-violent acts that constitute “domestic violence” and can result in firearms forfeiture include staying in the home despite being asked to leave by a spouse who holds title to the home (criminal trespass); and scaring a spouse with a halloween mask (putting another in fear by physical menace). There are several others, and they arise on a regular basis in the Garden State.
Unfortunately A1211, which appears to be part of a larger national agenda, fails to recognize that New Jersey law is unique in allowing minor non-violent acts to be classified as “domestic violence.” It also fails to recognize that false allegations of domestic violence are sometimes made to gain advantage in divorce cases, or out of spite, without any consequence to the accuser. A1211 facilitates the loss of Constitutional rights and seizure of firearms where no violent act was committed.
A1211 is fundamentally flawed, and does nothing to empower domestic violence victims, or to severely punish those who commit actual violence.
Inexplicably, the sponsors of A1211 ignore alternative pending legislation like S1905, similar to last session’s A4486, which would strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence by providing minimum terms of incarceration, with set periods of parole ineligibility, for any offenders who commit physically violent acts.
See ANJRPC’s full position paper on A1211 here.
About Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs:The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Inc. is the official NRA State Association in New Jersey. Our mission is to implement all of the programs and activities at the state level that the NRA does at the national level. This mission includes the following: To support and defend the constitutional rights of the people to keep and bear arms. To take immediate action against any legislation at the local, state and federal level that would infringe upon these rights. Visit: www.anjrpc.org
Has anyone checked out the revised 4473 form to be in official use by or around January 17, 2017? I was comparing the old and new 4473 side by side to see the changes they’ve made. Just wondering if any of you see and changes in regards to the 2A infringement restoration of civil rights in the form.
The Lautenberg Law should not have been passed and the other issue is that you cannot put a Law in front of the constitutional civil rights of the people. Read the constitutional right to bear arms civil rights yourself. These past Presidents were not looking out for our civil rights. Trump will take care of business and once again, restore everyone’s constitutional civil rights and make america great again!
@Pro, Yes, it is so, and now is out time to push for repeal of the entire GCA and the NFA. No Second Amendment Civil Rights, No Second Term.
The liberal legal system in NJ is geared towards, confiscation and permanent forfeiture of guns and gun rights. A Temporary Restraining Order can be obtained by a mere 911 call and stating you are in fear for your life. Any fabricated story can be made up and will be phoned into a judge for a TRO which results in immediate expulsion from your home and confiscation of your firearms and ammo. You will not get back your ammo, you will be told it was “destroyed” by the police. Any accessories with your firearms not listed on the property sheet will… Read more »
Lets start making citizens arrest on Politicians that do not uphold the Constitution of the United States. I’m just saying. Lets raise hell.
The best way to combat this bill is to move out of this communist state of New Jersey. Tell That fat man who is always on the road eating hamburgers we aren’t gonna pay for him to get away from his wife and kids and NJ residents anymore!
This is one of the most effective ways to get more legal firearms out of the hands of citizens. Colorado’s goes so far as to state if your are even ACCUSED of this or ACCUSED of even making a threat re DV you must turn in your firearms and ammo to authorities until AFTER the restraining order hearing. Few judges/magistrates will turn down a PRO request as IF something were to happen later in that particular case they would look bad. So it is a judge’s CYA thing–they just grant them pretty much regardless of any real facts to the… Read more »
If you want to stop a great majority of domestic violence cases, reinstate laws against cohabitation by unmarried couples. Separate the two and there is no chance for violence to happen. Too many people don’t know how to walk away from an argument.
Many states have a mandatory policy that someone is going to jail for a domestic violence call. Losing constitutionally protected rights during domestic violence cases should only be done with a preponderance of evidence that the crime was egregiously violent with the intent to cause grave harm or death. There is no doubt that domestic violence is an atrocity and that it can lead to the death of the abused (both men and women fall into this category), but a threshold needs to be in place to stop frivolous cases being used as backdoor gun confiscation. This bill is just… Read more »
Well, WHERE is Gov Christy on THIS?!?!?!?! You know, the former REPUBLICAN presidential candidate that SWORE he loved the Second Amenmdnet?!?!?!?!
Exactly COL Jr. Christy only says what he will do to get elected to office. I have always had my doubts about him.