SENATE, No. 746

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996

By Senator RICE

An Act concerning the sale of ammunition and supplementing chapter 58 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. Every retail dealer shall keep a register in which shall be recorded the sale of all ammunition. At the time of the sale, the dealer shall enter into the register the date; the purchaser's name, permanent address, age and date of birth; the quantity, caliber or gauge, as appropriate, and trade name of the ammunition purchased; and any other information the superintendent may deem appropriate. The dealer also shall note in the register whether the purchaser verified his identity by displaying a valid driver's license; an identification card issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles pursuant to P.L.1980, c.47 (C.39:3-29.2 et seq.); a firearms purchaser identification card, a certified copy of a permit to purchase a handgun; a valid hunting license; or other documentation deemed acceptable by the superintendent. The purchaser shall sign his name to certify the accuracy of the information entered in the register.

    The register shall be retained by the dealer and shall be made available at all reasonable hours for inspection by any law enforcement officer.

    b. Nothing in subsection a. of this section shall be construed to relieve any retail dealer of his duty and responsibility to record and report the sale of certain types of ammunition in accordance with and under the provisions of subsection g. of N.J.S.2C:39-3 or any other such statute.

    c. A person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

    d. The Attorney General, in consultation with the Superintendent of State Police, shall promulgate, in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act .

    2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires retail firearms dealers to keep a register which records their sales of ammunition.

    Patterned after the register such dealers are required to keep to record the sales of handguns, shotguns and rifles, the dealer would be required to enter into the register the date of each sale; the purchaser's name, permanent address, age, and date of birth; the quantity, caliber or gauge, as appropriate, and the trade name of the ammunition purchased; and any other information the Superintendent of State Police may deem appropriate. The bill also requires the dealer to note in the register the type of documentation the purchaser used to verify his identity. The types of documentation a purchaser may use include: a valid driver's license; an identification card issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles pursuant to P.L.1980, c.47 (C.39:3-29.2 et seq.); a firearms purchaser identification card; a certified copy of a permit to purchase a handgun; a valid hunting license; or any other type of documentation authorized by the superintendent. To certify the accuracy of the information entered, the bill requires the purchaser to sign the register.

    As with firearm purchase records, these records of ammunition purchases would be available for inspection by law enforcement officers.

    To avoid any confusion, the bill clearly specifies that these recording requirements are in addition to those already set forth in the law and are not to be construed to relieve retail dealers of their other statutory responsibilities and duties to record and report the sales of specialized types of ammunition, such as those involving hollow nose or dum-dum bullets, or handgun bullets capable of breaching or penetrating body armor.

    Anyone who knowingly violates the provisions of the bill is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. This penalty is consistent with the current penalty schedule for violations of State regulations governing the sale and licensing of firearms.

    The sponsor believes that the availability of information relating to the sale of ammunition can assist law enforcement agencies in investigations of crimes involving the use of a firearm.

Requires sellers of ammunition to keep certain records.