On Monday a federal judge decided to place a temporary block in New Jersey’s firearm bans at casinos, parks, and beaches. The ruling was made by U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb, a George W. Bush appointee, who earlier this month also temporarily blocked a different ban that would keep firearms away from “sensitive places.”
As soon as the law was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on Dec. 22, Gun rights advocates were quick to file their challenges to the law stating that the recent new law was not in alignment with the Supreme Court’s landmark gun ruling last summer.
The high court’s conservative majority in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen had at the time pointed out that for firearms to be banned in sensitive places, then the rules that were applied needed to be in alignment with the nation’s historical traditions and regulations on this matter.
The law includes a ban on firearms from 19 out of the 25 locations that could be considered sensitive areas. There are also a number of other gun regulations that fall under the law. These have not yet been blocked by the court.
Bumb in her two rulings has noted that the claims that the new law does not fall in line with the Bruen ruling are correct. Monday’s order specifically agrees with the request made by the second group, New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs and seven of its members, who asked that the blocking of the law be extended to casinos as well and not just to state and parks.
