NJ Assembly Votes On More Gun Control Bills Monday

Final legislative approval for these four Assembly Democratic gun control measures highlight Monday’s Assembly voting session: economic development incentive reform; social media instruction for students; making dog fighting a crime; and protecting first responders.

The four gun violence prevention bills dealing with school security, mental health records, improved firearms information sharing among law enforcement and unlawful weapon disposal would be the first from the Assembly Democratic gun control efforts to go to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk.

The top bills to be considered would:

• Create a task force to explore areas to improve school safety.
• Require submission of certain mental health records to National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
• Require collection and reporting of certain firearms information to inter-jurisdictional databases; requires information relating to crime of firearms trafficking be included in annual Uniform Crime Report.
• Provide 180-day window for persons to dispose of certain unlawfully possessed firearms.
• Enact "The New Jersey Economic Opportunity Act of 2013"; provides financial incentives for expansion or conversion of certain redevelopment projects.
• Require school districts to provide instruction on responsible use of social media for middle school students as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Technology.
• Establish “Thomas P. Canzanella Twenty First Century First Responders Protection Act"; concerns workers' compensation for public safety workers
• Establish crimes of dog fighting and leader of a dog fighting network; amends RICO to add leader of a dog fighting network.
• Prohibit requirement to disclose user name, password or other means for accessing account or service through electronic communications device by employers. (Acceptance of the Governor’s conditional veto.)
• Allow corporation business tax credit and gross income tax credit for certain wages paid to qualified interns in tax years 2013 and 2014. (Acceptance of the Governor’s conditional veto.)
• Direct the State Treasurer to review effects of disclosure and nondisclosure of lottery winners on transparency and lottery sales. (Acceptance of the Governor’s conditional veto.)
• Create the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act" to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
• Establish the "Joint Legislative Task Force on Health Insurance Exchange Implementation."