Christie takes action on backlog of bills
TRENTON - Long-awaited decisions by Gov. Christie on legislation involving Atlantic City and New Jersey's voting laws headlined Monday's activity here, but the Republican governor took action on dozens of other bills that passed the Legislature in June.
TRENTON - Long-awaited decisions by Gov. Christie on legislation involving Atlantic City and New Jersey's voting laws headlined Monday's activity here, but the Republican governor took action on dozens of other bills that passed the Legislature in June.
Christie, who was headed for Milwaukee for Tuesday's Republican presidential debate, signed legislation on topics ranging from firearms and domestic violence to standardized testing to bestiality.
Guns and domestic violence. Christie rejected a proposal that sought to restrict access to firearms for those accused of domestic violence, saying it "substantially restates New Jersey's existing laws."
Under current law, when police officers find probable cause that domestic violence has occurred, they are required to arrest the alleged perpetrator.
In responding to such incidents, officers are required to seize any weapon that could expose the alleged victim to injury, including firearms. Police also are required to take the alleged assailant's permit to buy a handgun.
Supporters say the bill would strengthen protections for victims by requiring offenders to surrender their firearms when they are convicted of domestic violence or while restraining orders are in effect. Judges would be required to inform those convicted of domestic violence that it is illegal for them to possess firearms.
The bill would require prosecutors who decline to charge alleged offenders to notify alleged victims of their ability to petition the court to revoke the offender's firearms license.
In his veto, Christie says state law already protects against these dangers. Instead, he proposed increasing penalties for domestic violence, lengthening parole ineligibility for perpetrators, and expediting the processing of firearms license applications for victims.
The bill passed, 48-11 with 20 abstentions, in the Assembly, and 29-1 in the Senate. It was supported by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.), who was shot in the head by a mentally troubled man in 2011.
Americans for Responsible Solutions, a gun-safety group founded by Giffords, said in a statement it was "disappointed to see that presidential politics got in the way of this bipartisan bill being signed into law."
"While we are continuing to evaluate Gov. Christie's proposal to expedite firearms licenses for people at risk in dangerous domestic violence situations, there is no reason why the lifesaving, commonsense provisions of this bipartisan legislation should be delayed any longer," the group said.
Bestiality. Mark this date: On Nov. 9, 2015, the State of New Jersey made it a crime to have sex with animals.
Christie signed into law a bill that amends the state's animal cruelty statutes, which currently ban torture and neglect, to include bestiality.
In 2009, a Burlington County judge dismissed animal-cruelty charges against a Moorestown police officer who was accused of trying to engage in a sexual act with calves in 2006.
The new law makes bestiality a fourth-degree crime, which carries up to 18 months in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
The officer, Robert Melia Jr., and his girlfriend were later convicted of sexually assaulting minors.
Standardized testing. One new law prohibits the state from withholding school aid based on students' participation rate in state assessments. Some students have opted out of taking the controversial standardized test known as Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).
Another law bans the administration of standardized testing in kindergarten through second grade.
856-779-3846
@AndrewSeidman