AUN: Sponsor of gun bill won't pull trigger yet
Friday, January 02, 203
BY FRED J. AUN
For the Star-Ledger
A proposed new law that could have banned the sale or purchase of many muzzleloading rifles and the possession of many shotguns is being pulled from the state Legislature calendar and will not be introduced, said its sponsor.
Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said concerns expressed by hunters is prompting her to yank bill A-3942 less than a month after its introduction. As of Wednesday, the state Legislature Web site listed the bill as remaining active, but Weinberg said she "pulled the bill off the agenda."
"I do not plan to push this bill at this time because I think there are some questions," the assemblywoman said.
The state Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs was among the groups that came out against the bill, which was co-sponsored by state Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) and introduced Dec. 11. The federation said the bill, as written, was "directly aimed at New Jersey big game hunters, re-enactors and muzzleloader enthusiasts."
In essence, the bill would have classified weapons of 50 caliber or greater as being illegal "destructive devices." Currently, the definition of those devices involves weapons of 60 caliber or greater.
An Assembly committee amended the original bill to provide exemptions for sportsmen and gun hobbyists. Antique guns were removed from the list of banned devices and people who lawfully possessed guns of 50 caliber or greater before the bill's date were also exempted.
But George Howard, the federation's conservation director (and a member of the state Fish and Game Council), said loopholes remained. He said his reading of the bill led him to believe it would have barred the future sale, disposal and use of more than 90 percent of the muzzleloaders and many of the shotguns -- those with rifled barrels -- in use by New Jersey sportsmen to hunt bear. A 20-gauge shotgun measures about 61 caliber and a 12-gauge shotgun is about 70 caliber.
In a Christmas Eve "legislative alert," Howard alleged the bill "was rushed through the committee just immediately after New Jersey's highly publicized first black bear hunt in 30 years." Weinberg said she is not against hunting and insisted the bear hunt had nothing to do with it. She said she was asked -- by some of her staffers -- to sponsor the bill as an anti-terrorism measure.
"The way I understand it, there were certain kinds of large-caliber guns that are not used for hunting, and one bullet from them can blast a lot of people or a lot of things," the legislator said.
"It was designed to make sure those guns are not sold in New Jersey. ... But because there were some legitimate questions raised, I did not push this and it certainly is not going to get pushed through in the next session."
Howard said New Jersey's sportsmen must always stay on top of action in Trenton.
"These people are going to keep coming at us and they will use any means they can," he said, referring to anti-hunting groups. "Legislation is a big thing for us now -- both answering the attacks and getting legislation passed that's favorable to sportsmen."
Fred J. Aun covers the outdoors for The Star Ledger. He can be reached at
[email protected].
