Trenton, NJ – A new proposal in the New Jersey General Assembly would require the state Attorney General to collect and publish monthly statistics on handgun carry permits and firearm purchaser identification cards.
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia of Sussex County and Assemblyman Robert Auth of Bergen County introduced the bill on July 24.
Assembly Bill 5964 would require local and state law enforcement agencies to submit anonymized permit data, including demographic details, to the Attorney General for public reporting.
Key Points
- Assembly Bill 5964 requires the Attorney General to release monthly public reports on firearm permit approvals and denials.
- Law enforcement agencies would submit data including race, ethnicity, gender identity, and reasons for denial.
- The bill is retroactive to June 23, 2022, the date of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision.
Bill aims to increase transparency in firearm permitting
The legislation directs every state and local law enforcement agency to submit detailed monthly reports on applications for handgun carry permits, handgun purchase permits, and firearm purchaser identification cards. Each report would include the date of submission, location, demographic information, decision outcome, and—if applicable—the reason for denial.
The Attorney General would then compile and post both an initial and ongoing monthly report on the agency’s website. The reporting requirement applies to all applications submitted after June 23, 2022.
Constitutional and court context
In the bill’s findings, lawmakers cite several major court decisions that have shaped national firearm policy. The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen struck down discretionary “may-issue” licensing systems. More recent cases, including United States v. Rahimi (2024) and Range v. Attorney General (2023), are also referenced for their implications on firearm rights and due process.
The sponsors argue that firearm regulations and licensing decisions should be transparent and consistent with constitutional protections. The bill also references concerns about potential disparate impacts in permit approvals based on race or ethnicity.
Data collection and public reporting
Under the proposal, the Attorney General would be required to issue the first report within two months of the law’s effective date, followed by monthly updates. The reports must include data on approvals, denials, and reasons cited for those denials, with demographic information included in aggregate form.
Directive No. 2023-02, issued by the Attorney General in June 2023, already requires similar reporting, but the sponsors note that such directives can be changed or withdrawn at the discretion of the Attorney General. This bill would establish the requirement in law.
Legislative process and retroactivity
If enacted, A5964 would take effect immediately and apply retroactively to June 23, 2022. The measure supplements New Jersey’s criminal code under Title 2C. The bill will move through Assembly committees before consideration by the full Legislature.