Speaker will join Murphy at announcement in Metuchen on Thursday

By David Wildstein, December 01 2021 9:43 am

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin will support Gov. Phil Murphy’s third round of reforms aimed at reducing gun violence and act during the legislature’s lame duck session, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Coughlin will appear with Murphy in Metuchen on Thursday morning to announce his intention to back the gun safety package.

The announcement was initially set for November 3, the day after the general election, but was cancelled after Murphy left his election night headquarters without knowing if he had won re-election.

Murphy’s plan includes raising the minimum age to purchase long guns to 21, mandating safe firearms storage, safety training requirements, electronic ammunition sales recordkeeping, and $10 million for community-based violence intervention.

The governor is also seeking a ban on .50 caliber military-style firearms, closing the loophole for important out of state guns and promoting microstamping technology.

With Coughlin on board, outgoing Senate President Steve Sweeney will feel some pressure to act on the gun proposals before he leaves office on January 11.

Sweeney, who entered the Senate 20 years ago with the support of the National Rifle Association, will need to decide how many of Murphy’s proposals he can get through the upper house.