New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed 10 pieces of gun legislation into law Thursday. Christie, widely seen as a probable GOP candidate for president in 2016, signed off on the slate of bills, most of which were non-controversial, while leaving five more contentious bills still awaiting his signature or veto.
One of the new laws will disqualify any person on the federal terrorist watch list from obtaining firearms identification cards or permits to purchase handguns.
“To the extent that this bill will keep guns out of the hands of known terrorists, or those who have taken active steps to support terrorist activities, my signature on this bill represents my commitment to keeping the citizens of New Jersey safe,” Christie said in a signing statement. “Our diligence against terrorism must never fade.”
Civil liberties advocates have criticized the watch list for its secrecy. The list is not public, nor can one petition to have his name removed from it. There were about 420,000 names on the watch list as of 2011. It has swollen to nearly 900,000 as of this year.
Other new laws strengthen penalties for trafficking firearms and exempt firearm licenses from public records requests.
Several of the remaining bills on Christie’s desk put the governor in a tight spot, politically.
One bill passed by the state Senate, S.2737, would institute background checks for all private gun sales and require all prospective gun owners to attend a gun safety training class.
Another would ban a model of .50 caliber rifle, the most powerful rifle available to civilians.
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