TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Democrats this week announced legal action against Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration over regulations loosening restrictions on citizens seeking gun carry permits.

The Democrat-led Legislature on Monday announced it filed the suit in Superior Court on Friday.

Christie’s office declined to comment, but the governor said in a radio interview the lawmakers were wrong and he expected to prevail in a legal challenge.

“They’re wrong, and we’ll fight them,” he said.

The lawsuit stems from resolutions that lawmakers passed last month saying that that the Christie administration’s new rule was contrary to the intent of the permit law. The suit seeks a stay of the Division of State Police directive.

Christie’s change meant that officials can consider “serious threats” that could demonstrate a special danger to an applicant’s life that the person could specify in a written certification of justifiable need to carry a gun. The revision also clarifies that a permit may be issued based on a special danger to the applicant’s life that can’t be avoided by other “reasonable” means.

The change doesn’t alter the process for obtaining a permit.

The governor’s announcement surprised Democrats who thought they had blocked the proposal last year.

Gun rights groups praised Christie’s announcement, saying the new rules will bring New Jersey in line with other states.

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