North Jersey towns protest federal concealed carry gun bill

Bergen County towns are saying no to federal legislation that would make it easier for residents of other states to carry their concealed firearms in New Jersey.

At least a half-dozen North Jersey towns have adopted resolutions opposing the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, which would require all states to recognize permits issued by other states, including ones with less-stringent laws. It's currently under consideration in the House of Representatives.

"If anyone is going to have a concealed weapon, it should be based on an application that should be made to the appropriate authority in New Jersey," Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich said. "I'll be damned if a state with liberality hands out concealed gun permits and I've got them in my town every day."

Sokolich said Fort Lee, which passed a resolution opposing the bill on Nov. 9, is respectful of the Constitution and recognizes the Second Amendment, and he acknowledges that some people's livelihoods require them to carry a concealed weapon. He sees that as a very small portion of the population, however.

New Jersey is a "may issue" state, meaning local law enforcement has discretion on issuing concealed carry permits. Those applying for a permit must demonstrate an urgent need to carry a weapon and pass a safety course on par with firearms training required of police officers before one is issued.

The Teaneck Township Council also passed a resolution in September opposing the bill. Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin says individual states should be able to enact and enforce their own gun laws.

“We believe that the states should regulate this,” he said. “We should have the right at the state level to define what our gun laws should be.”

Safety: Are North Jersey schools prepared for 'active shooter' situations?

Crime: Alleged Paramus killer slipped safety-net cracks

Stun guns explained: How do they work, and are they dangerous?

Similarly, Teaneck Councilman Alan Sohn said reciprocity between states makes sense in some cases, but gun laws should be under local control.

“If some states have a lower driving age, I’m OK with them driving in New Jersey,” he said. “But in some states any adult over the age of 18 can get a permit for a gun. I think the density and character of New Jersey calls for the method we have now. Someone should not be able to come to New Jersey and say, ‘In the state where I come from it’s OK to carry a concealed weapon' regardless of the laws of the state of New Jersey.”

The resolutions are largely symbolic and would not preempt federal law. Still, representatives of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which provided the model resolutions to the towns, hope that if enough resolutions are adopted, legislators will take note.

"We want to protect New Jerseyans from residents of other states bringing guns into the state without the proper background checks and training," said Ed Gross, president of the group's Bergen County chapter.

The National Rifle Association, which supports the reciprocity measure, did not respond to calls for comment. However, Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA's lobbying arm, has said, “The current patchwork of state and local laws is confusing for even the most conscientious and well-informed concealed carry permit holders. This confusion often leads to law-abiding gun owners running afoul of the law when they exercise their right to self-protection while traveling or temporarily living away from home.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Chris Christie pardoned out-of-state gun owners who had been convicted of carrying weapons in New Jersey, including a New Mexico man who had a gun in his Mahwah hotel room.

Although he has opposed reciprocity measures, Christie has also said, "It doesn't make any sense" that legal carriers of guns in other states get arrested for traveling through New Jersey.

George Bagdasar, owner of G&S Hunters, a Paterson gun shop, supports the reciprocity bill. He said people with concealed carry permits have undergone background checks and already enjoy reciprocity in 38 states. "So what's so special about New Jersey?" he said. "Why are we not allowing them to carry here?"

Sohn, however, pointed out that the federal bill could create problems for law enforcement, because police would need to know the laws of each person's home state. Some require permits to carry a gun; some don't.

“Police officers would need to keep track of not only the laws in New Jersey, but in all 49 other states,” he said. “This would only add more problems in a remarkably densely populated state.”

Stun gun ban: Stun gun ban to end in New Jersey

Column: Shooting range seeks to make guns 'mainstream'

Women and guns: Panel in Oradell: Gun violence is a women's issue

In addition to Fort Lee and Teaneck, Old Tappan, Westwood, Cresskill, Woodcliff Lake and Tenafly have passed resolutions opposing the legislation, and others are talking about it, said Emanuel Genn, a Fort Lee resident and member of the Brady Campaign's Bergen County chapter.

The chapter was formed after the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children dead, said Gross, the group's president. After meeting with like-minded neighbors at vigils for the victims, Gross said, they organized the Bergen County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence in February 2013, before eventually becoming the Bergen County chapter of the Brady Campaign.

Now they're reaching out to towns to raise awareness of the new legislation in hopes of gaining enough support to show Congress that people in the state are opposed to the proposed rules.

The bill was introduced Jan. 3 and was then referred to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. U.S. Rep. Thomas MacArthur, who represents the 3rd District, in South Jersey, is among the co-sponsors. He could not be reached for comment.

Staff Writer Megan Burrow contributed to this article.