New Jersey governor imposes new mandates on guns dealers, manufacturers

Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Tuesday calling for the state to ensure gun manufacturers, vendors and affiliated institutions are being held accountable for “creating policies” that, in part, screen buyers to prevent firearm trafficking and straw purchases, officials said.

Every year, there are more than 2,000 reported shootings in New Jersey, including on average, 280 gun-related murders and nearly 600 unintentional shootings, the document states in providing the basis for the order, which is effective immediately.

“New Jersey cannot tackle gun violence alone and can maximize its efforts to hold the gun industry,” according to the executive order, “and institutions that finance the industry, accountable for their practices by working with like-minded states to effectuate change and promote better public safety in the industry.”

Tuesday’s four-page directive calls for the state’s Division of Purchase and Property to request certain information from gun retailers and manufacturers to ensure they are adhering to the order’s public safety stipulations --  such as preventing “sales to prohibited individuals,” safeguarding ammo and firearms from being stolen and providing proper training to vendors, according to the order.

The order also describes how these dealers can assist law enforcement “by creating policies to prevent, detect, and screen for straw purchasers or firearm traffickers.”

The department must also ensure the retailers and manufacturers are acting within those public safety guidelines when handing “prospective bid solicitation for ammunition and firearms,” by requiring that they “certify adherence to public safety principles,” according to a Tuesday press release.

Any financial institutions that work with the state’s Treasury Department are being asked to share with the office “whether such institutions have adopted any code of conduct or principles related to gun safety or responsible sales of firearms.”

The Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, within 30 days, is "instructed to take all appropriate action within her authority to prohibit and/or limit the sale, procurement, marketing, or distribution of insurance products that may serve to encourage the improper use of firearms,” the release further states.

The requirements must be completed within 30 days, when applicable.

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“[M]y Administration is committed to making our communities safer by aiming to do business with gun dealers that have adopted best practices to reduce gun violence,” Murphy said in a prepared statement. “We want those who do business with New Jersey to share our values and be committed to ending the scourge of gun violence in our communities.”