NJ Essentially Bans All Firearms Transfers

by Patriotman | Mar 22, 2020 |

From our friends over at the Firearm Blog, they have an interesting story involving Governor Murphy and New Jersey. As you may or may not know, Governor Murphy passed legislation early in his term to force all private sales of firearms to have a background check. This includes both handguns and long guns. Governor Murphy’s newest Executive Order, Executive Order 107, directed all non-essential retail businesses to close. As part of this order, the State Police NICS team was included. From the NICS portal website:

On Saturday March 21, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy announced he is putting New Jersey in lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus. Per Executive Order 107, he is ordering the residents of New Jersey to stay home, directing all non-essential retail businesses closed to the public. At this time, the order includes New Jersey Firearms State Licensed Dealers. The New Jersey State Police NICS Unit is directing the vendor of the NICS Online Application (NICUSA) to turn off the NICS Online Services for submitting NICS transactions by eliminating the “Request Form” button, effective 9:00pm EST, Saturday, March 21, 2020. You will still have the ability to view the message board and the status of previously submitted transactions. This “Request Form” feature will remain off until further order by Governor Murphy.

https://www.njportal.com/NJSP/NicsVerification

As The Firearm Blog noted:

By executive order, the Governor of New Jersey has shutdown the NICS Check system that allows for the sale and transfer of firearms in the state. The NICS check shutdown effectively eliminates all commercial and private transfers of firearms in New Jersey. In addition, judicial processes in the state have been basically frozen, limiting proceedings to critical needs only. Any possible legal challenges to the NICS check system closure in a time of a “non-essential business shutdown” appears to be impossible.

It is quite clear that, at a time when millions of Americans are feeling scared and uncertain about the future and wish to obtain protection for themselves and their families, Governor Murphy has decided to leave them vulnerable. Given his clear anti-gun agenda, there is no doubt that he is exploiting this crisis in order to further degrade the already heavily-infringed Second Amendment rights of New Jerseyians. Considering that a “stand down” order was essentially given to Law Enforcement in Philadelphia and the likelihood that a similar order would be issued in New Jersey, this Governor has failed his citizens and left them in a degraded security position.

Tyranny is afoot, ladies and gentlemen. The government – right on cue – is going to take advantage of this crisis to further their dictatorial tendencies.

Keep your training up, your PT moving, and your powder dry.