Which New Jersey Reps. Voted For Conceal-Carry Gun Bill?

Gun rights advocates are praising the U.S. House passage of the GOP-backed “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017,” a proposed federal law that would allow people with concealed-carry permits in their home states to transport their guns into New Jersey and other states.

Following Wednesday’s 231-198 passage of the bill, several gun control advocates and Democrat leaders decried the potential law, which now heads to the U.S. Senate. (Read the full bill here)

As expected by many political pundits, the overall vote took place largely along party lines. A total of 225 Republicans and six Democrats voted in favor of the bill. Fourteen GOP representatives joined 184 Democrats in opposition.

However, while the Garden State’s Democrat representatives all voted against the bill, the state’s Republicans divided their votes 3-2 in favor.

• See related article: Should New Jersey Let Out-Of-State Gun Owners Conceal-Carry?

Here’s how New Jersey’s Congressional representatives voted:

• Donald Norcross (D-1) - NO
• Frank LoBiondo (R-2) - YES
• Tom MacArthur (R-3) - YES
• Chris Smith (R-4) - NO
• Josh Gottheimer (D-5) - NO
• Frank Pallone (D-6) - NO
• Leonard Lance (R-7) - NO
• Albio Sires (D-8) - NO
• Bill Pascrell (D-9) - NO
• Donald Payne Jr. (D-10) - NO
• Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) - YES
• Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12) - NO

FIGHTING ‘A CONFUSING PATCHWORK OF LAWS’

Gun rights groups and New Jersey second amendment advocates praised the bill, calling it a huge leap forward for the concept of state-to-state reciprocity.

According to the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, the potential law would eliminate a “confusing patchwork” of state legislation that has ensnared otherwise law-abiding gun owners and forced local police agencies to waste time and resources enforcing laws that don’t do anything to reduce violent crime.

The bill also makes improvements to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in an effort to incentivize better reporting of legal and mental health records.

In a statement issued prior to Wednesday’s vote, the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJSAS) said that bill would normalize the “natural right to self-defense” by expanding life-saving concealed-carry rights across the United States, including the Garden State.

“This may not seem like a big issue for people who come from states which respect and honor the Constitution and Bill of Rights,” the NJSAS wrote. “Sadly, in New Jersey we are well aware that many people get arrested while not breaking any law, and even when they win in court, they still lose because of mounting legal fees and other damages which result from the arrest.”

According to an April blog post from the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs:

“Although 43 states recognize the right to defend yourself with a firearm outside the home, New Jersey remains one of a handful of backward states that apparently prefer their citizens to become victims – except for legislators, who themselves hypocritically enjoy the armed protection of State House security… Only in the Garden State do lawmakers actively block those facing serious threats from defending themselves.”

A Howell Township resident and Merchant Marine officer living in New Jersey wrote a letter in support of the bill, emphasizing that bringing a firearm from New Jersey through New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts is a stressful situation.

“I have four different concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits that allow me to carry in 36 states – just not in the state I live nor the majority of the states I visit. At any time, I could be subject to arrest if a peace officer wants to ignore federal law – which happens in New York and New Jersey quite often.”

• See related article: Reader Says Legislator Should Back Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

According to a 2016 Crime Prevention Research Center study, during former President Obama’s administration, the number of concealed handgun permits soared to over 14.5 million nationwide – a 215% increase since 2007.

The study states:

• “Between 2007 and 2015, murder rates fell from 5.6 to 4.7 (preliminary estimate) per 100,000. This represents a 16% drop. Overall violent crime fell by 18 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of adults with permits has soared by 190%”
• “Between 2012 and 2016, in states that provide data by gender, the number of women with permits has increased twice as quickly as the number of men with permits”
• “Some evidence suggests that permit-holding is increasing about 75% more quickly among minorities than among whites”

'ROLLING OUT THE WELCOME MAT FOR CONCEAL-CARRY'

Local opponents of HR-38 immediately lambasted it as a “special-interest bill” that puts New Jersey residents at risk.

Two of the U.S. representatives who voted against the bill, Donald Payne Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman, were among its most vocal detractors.

“New Jersey has one of the ten lowest firearm death rates in the country,” Payne said. “That’s because the people of my state have set the bar high for public safety. I voted against the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would require New Jersey to accept concealed carry permits from states that set their standards low. The bill is the peak of federal overreach. It is a special-interest bill from the NRA that will overturn the laws and undermine the safety of the State of New Jersey.”

According to Watson Coleman:

“By passing The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, Congressional Republicans made it abundantly clear to the American public and law enforcement community that safety and security comes second to their pledges to the NRA. The next time a mass shooting occurs, Republicans should pray for forgiveness, for not only their complacency and dereliction of duty, but in contrition for the men, women and children we continue to lay to rest because of senseless gun violence and our cowardly inaction.”

A member of activist group NJ 11th for Change wrote that the bill “dramatically lowers the bar” for carrying concealed guns everywhere in the United States.

“This act compels us to roll out the welcome mat for whoever conceal-carries-- teenagers, people with no safety training, who may never have even fired their weapon, and people with dangerous violent histories from other states to carry hidden loaded guns around our kids, in our restaurants, our sporting events, and our churches,” the blog post states.

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Photo: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives