New Jersey still debating its already tough gun laws
New Jersey has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws and a stringent firearms ban on domestic abuse suspects, but a contentious debate recently erupted over whether the law could be stronger.
Democrats and victims’ advocates have pushed for tougher rules to ensure suspects surrender their guns. But Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate, vetoed the measure. He said the bill added little muscle to an already powerful statute.
The more pressing issue for Christie was ensuring that domestic abuse victims can more quickly get guns for protection.
The debate comes as more than a dozen states have strengthened laws over the past two years to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, a rare area of consensus in the nation’s highly polarized debate over guns.
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