New Jersey legislators proposed "the nation's strongest measure concerning concealed carry," a new bill that would restrict when and where guns can be carried outside of the home. It would require those who carry guns in public to purchase liability insurance -- the first statewide mandate of its kind in the nation -- and would ban guns from being carried in 25 broad categories of places, including government buildings, health care facilities, airports, casinos and private properties where the owners have not given express permission to have guns, reports Politico. Gov. Phil Murphy has vowed to sign the measure, which comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling this year that effectively broadened the scope of who can carry guns in public. The proposal outlined Thursday is meant to insure "that residents of and visitors to our state could be confident in their safety in sensitive locations such as daycares, hospitals, stadiums and public transit,” said Murphy spokesperson Alyana Alfaro-Post.
In June, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled, 6-3 in favor of gun owners who want to carry their weapons outside the home. The ruling upended gun laws in New Jersey, New York, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. In New Jersey, which already has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, the state’s “justifiable need” requirement for gun carry permits — which effectively barred most residents from being eligible for a carry permit — was voided by the court’s decision. The new proposal affects a large swath of New Jerseyans; Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said around 300,000 carry permit applications have been filed in New Jersey since the Supreme Court’s decision. In addition to the insurance mandate, the new bill would require prospective gun carriers to undergo rigorous training requirements, including online courses, in-person classes, and target training. People who carry guns would be restricted from using, consuming, or being under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or other controlled substances.