Less than 24 hours before Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his fifth State of the State address, a federal judge issued a blow to the administration’s newest gun law — one of the progressive policies he was likely to tout during the speech. The court granted a temporary restraining order preventing part of New Jersey’s new concealed-carry law from being enforced. It would restrict firearms in about two dozen locations classified as “sensitive places,” like schools, parks, restaurants and courthouses.
Gun rights groups who brought the case against the state argued the law was “declaring war on the second amendment.” Contending the list of so-called sensitive places went too far, Monday’s decision mirrors the strike down of New York’s concealed-carry law. Both were passed in response to a Supreme Court ruling making it easy to get a concealed carry permit. On Monday, Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a statement he was disappointed by the ruling, but will continue to press the case, “including ultimately on appeal.”
Gov. Murphy will still have plenty to talk about during his speech on Tuesday— the first in-person State of the State address since the start of the pandemic. Bergen Record columnist Charlie Stile has more on what we can expect.
