9 Bills NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Could Sign That Make Your Child Safer

Gov. Phil Murphy could soon be getting nine bills that could make your child's life safer at school, or anywhere in New Jersey.

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, R-Monmouth, who helped spearhead several of the mesures, said she hopes legislative leaders will take immediate action on the bills.

“Our legislation calls for uniform training of all school employees with law enforcement to ensure best practices are used before, during and after school emergencies with better communication,” DiMaso said in a news release. “This common request was told throughout the hearings. We should move forward now rather than wait any longer.”

The proposals come soon after the state Department of Education has released a report showing the prevalence of weapons and violence in hundreds of New Jersey schools. Read more: Here's How Much Violence, Bullying in Every NJ School District

DiMaso’s bill package is based on recommendations from two panels of experts that were created in the wake of the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Ct. The groups included government officials, education leaders, law enforcement, community members, school officials, teachers and parents.

The bill package is also sponsored by Assemblywomen Nancy F. Muñoz, R-Unionn and Holly Schepisi, R-Bergen.

DiMaso’ bill package includes, among other things, these 8 bills:

• Requiring the attorney general and Department of Education to share best practices on school security with school districts (AR154).
• Train all school employees and local police on how to handle a school emergency (A3787 and A3793).
• Create a 24-hour State Police hotline for tips that must be shared with local police and school officials (A3789).
• Provide better real-time communication between school security, emergency responders and law enforcement during emergencies, and procedures to notify parents (A3788).
• Require all school employees and students to carry identification cards (A3790).
• Require the Department of Education to review and rate all school safety and security plans and school district emergency communications policies (A3791).
• Require DOE and Homeland Security to develop online forum for schools to share best practices (A3792).

Assemblyman Roy Freiman and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, both D-Somerset/Mercer/Middlesex/Hunterdon, also have introduced a bill to raise the minimum age to buy rifles and shotguns in New Jersey.

Under current law, handguns cannot be sold to anyone under 21 although licensed gun dealers in the state are allowed to sell rifles and shotguns to buyers as young as 18.

Freiman and Zwicker’s bill (A-3815) would raise the minimum age to buy rifles and shotguns in the state to 21.

“This is about preventing gun violence,” said Freiman. “There is no easy solution to the proliferation of gun violence in this country, but there are measures we can take to help keep people safe. Bringing the rules on rifles and shotguns in line with the rules on handguns can help. If you have to be 21 to buy a handgun, the same standard should apply to rifles and shotguns.”

Kevin Craig, a 2015 New Jersey school security task force member and retired police chief, told lawmakers he was encouraged to see several of his group's recommendations from 2016 and 2017 be submitted as legislation.

“I believe, however, that the state of New Jersey needs to continue to pursue the remaining recommendations of this task force to ensure that we are providing the safest possible environment for our school communities,” said Craig.

Thomas Smith, Hopewell Valley Regional School District superintendent, has also asked for “concrete guidance” on the best school security practices with consistent coordination between schools, districts, towns and counties.

“Everyone should feel safe at school, including students, parents, and teachers,” said DiMaso. “Making sure all our schools are using comprehensive and consistent plans will help make our schools as safe as possible for everyone.”

Zwicker, meanwhile, said he wants to make it harder for people "with bad intentions from getting their hands on these weapons, but we also want to strike the right balance."

“We realize that some young people use these weapons for lawful hunting or as part of their work. This bill’s careful exemptions recognize those pragmatic realities, while also limiting access to weapons for people who might want to use them to hurt others,” he said.

According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, 18 to 20 year olds commit gun homicides at a rate nearly four times higher than adults 21 and older, lawmakers.

“Research shows that the adolescent brain is still maturing in the teenage years, which is why teens often make decisions instinctively and without weighing the consequences. This is why we need to be more careful about who we grant access to. A weapon in the hands of a person with poor impulse control can be catastrophic,” said Freiman.

Under the Freiman bill, a person under 21 would be allowed to possess a handgun, rifle or shot gun in accordance with current law under the following circumstances:

• If they are in the actual presence or under the direct supervision of a father, mother, legal guardian, or someone who holds a handgun permit or firearms purchaser ID
• If they are active duty or honorably discharged military and law enforcement
• If they use for competition, target practice, instruction, and training
• If they use for hunting during the regularly designated hunting season, provided they possesses a valid hunting license
• If they are people between the ages of 18 and 21 who have obtained a firearms purchaser identification card prior to the bill’s effective date are exempt.

The bill has been referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Phil Murphy photo