Governor Phil Murphy today signed a law that makes it illegal in New Jersey to purchase parts to make or distribute information to print “ghost guns,” homemade or 3D-printed firearms that are not detectable by law enforcement. The governor was assisted by Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and Senator Joe Cryan. The bill was also supported by Senator Nick Scutari, Representatives Paul Moriarty and Gary Schaer, and Representative Annette Quijano. Governor Murphy thanked Senator Cryan and his colleagues for their work on ghost gun legislation. “If you support ghost guns in any way, you`re not a law-abiding gun owner, you`re a criminal.” The Ghost Gun Act passed the legislature by a clear majority, with only five members of both houses opposing the measure. More: Ghost gun distributor won`t sell to NJ in landmark settlement after state lawsuit In addition, ghost guns account for a growing percentage of all guns seized by law enforcement in New Jersey. 55 non-serialized weapons were seized in 2019 out of a total of 3,385 weapons recoveries (1.62%); 101 were recovered in 2020 out of a total of 3,375 weapons recovered (2.99%); and 122 had already been recovered in 2021 as of July 15 out of a total of 2,154 weapons recoveries (5.66%). In 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill banning the purchase of ghost gun parts and the distribution of information about their printing. The law was later expanded to include a prohibition on the transportation, shipping, sale or disposal of ghost weapons. However, Marcus Hirschorn, a gunsmith, told the New Jersey Senate committee on Monday that New Jersey`s measure was too broad. “If an overzealous prosecutor gets their hands on this law, technically, any piece of steel large enough to turn into a gun could theoretically land someone in jail,” Hirschhorn said.
Hirschhorn also noted that it`s already illegal in New Jersey to make a handgun, rifle or shotgun without a license, and it`s illegal to make a machine gun, sawed-off shotgun or assault rifle here. This measure would also prohibit the purchase of any combination of parts to assemble a firearm without a serial number. “These so-called `ghost guns` are the byproduct of the dark side of new technologies that allow people to make guns that are hidden from discovery and made untraceable,” said Senator Cryan, who previously served as Union County Sheriff. “These are deadly weapons that are particularly dangerous because they can literally be made at home with plastic parts and with new 3D printers. These homemade weapons can be a means of possessing firearms for people who pose a danger to themselves or others, including criminals, people with mental illness, people convicted of domestic violence, and others who are not supposed to be armed with lethal firearms. They pose a serious threat, which is why we are enacting the strictest gun law in the country. The rule would also require state-licensed firearms dealers to add a serial number to all 3D-printed firearms or other non-serialized guns they plan to sell. “The final rule ensures that licensees mark kits and nearly complete frames or recipients with a unique serial number and keep records of all relevant transactions. Traceability is an important law enforcement tool, and more than 8,600 law enforcement agencies in 46 countries rely on ATF`s online search application,” the attorneys general wrote. “But this service has limited utility when large numbers of non-serialized weapons are excluded and federal and state record-keeping laws are not enforced.
The attorney general`s office has also used civil law enforcement tools to crack down on out-of-state gun dealers who sell ghost guns to New Jersey buyers. “Our message to gun dealers is clear: If you bring illegal firearms into our state, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law,” Bruck said in the statement. “We are committed to closing the illegal gun pipeline to New Jersey, especially untraceable `ghost guns` that are quickly becoming a favorite of criminals.” In 2019, New Jersey tightened its ghost gun law by criminalizing the knowingly possessing or transferring, shipping, selling, or disposing of a firearm manufactured or otherwise assembled using a gun carcass or firearm that is not printed with a serial number registered with a state-approved manufacturer.5 Joseph Cryan, New Jersey State Senator, One of the bill`s main proponents said “ghost guns” are made when people buy parts piece by piece and assemble them with a kit that anyone can buy online. Therefore, he said, the weapons do not have serial or registration numbers. The New Jersey senator added that the trial allows people who are prohibited from owning a firearm — such as criminals and people with mental illness — to make their own firearms: “This `do it yourself` method of assembling these `ghost guns` allows the owner to circumvent laws and regulations designed to keep guns out of the hands of those who do. who pose a danger to themselves or others. Shortly before closing the microphone to move on to the actual signing, Governor Murphy wanted to appeal to critics and skeptics of his gun policy, pointing out that the Illinois shooter would have possessed the weapon used legally.
