Responding to the slaughter of 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue over the weekend, Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday endorsed new restrictions on gun and ammunition sales in New Jersey and a renewed push for "smart guns" that can be fired only by their registered owners.
Murphy, who already signed laws reducing the legal magazine capacity and allowing mental-health professionals to determine whether to rescind someone's right to own a firearm, urged lawmakers to introduce new bills to fight gun trafficking, require photo identification to buy ammunition and force retailers to carry "smart guns."
"We must ensure that those intent on acting on hate through violence do not have access to guns," Murphy said at a news conference in Trenton. "No matter how strong our laws are, we must act to close loopholes."
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, D-Camden, backed Murphy's call, saying he hoped lawmakers would act on a package of bills — some new, others previously vetoed — by early next year.
