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The Personalized Handgun Authorization Commission outlines major benchmarks for the introduction of personalized handguns, as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to reduce unauthorized firearm use.
In an important development for gun safety, New Jersey's Personalized Handgun Authorization Commission (PHAC) has set out the defining features of 'smart' guns to be made available for sale in the state. This announcement was made today by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.
The standards set by the PHAC require gun manufacturers to demonstrate that their products have reliable personalization technology and features to prevent accidental discharge. The handguns must also comply with state and federal laws. This advancement marks a crucial milestone in New Jersey's efforts to improve public safety by encouraging the production and sale of safer firearms.
"“Too many times gun violence is the result of an individual gaining access to someone else’s gun. These can be criminals, or people in crisis, or young children who do not understand that they are not playing with a toy. We know the effects of these repeated tragedies far too painfully in New Jersey and they must end," stated Attorney General Platkin.
Governor Murphy praised the work of the PHAC, which will go on to create testing protocols and an application process for proposed personalized handguns.
Recent research in the scientific journal Injury Epidemiology reveals that most children who die in accidental shootings were playing with the weapons, and over 90% of these incidents involved guns that were left unlocked and loaded.
“Parents often believe that their child knows not to pick up a firearm if they find one or mistakenly believe their child can differentiate between real firearms and toy firearms,” the study noted, but data suggests “that children continue to die from injuries sustained while playing with firearms or mistaking real firearms for toys.”
The PHAC’s developments aim to prevent such tragedies by implementing clear standards and qualifying criteria for smart guns.
“The Personalized Handgun Authorization Commission has established specific and clear standards and qualifying criteria that are worthy of its mandate,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeremy Ershow, Chair of the PHAC.
The new standards will be used to evaluate applications for the state's personalized handgun roster. The approved standards are as follows:
Established by P.L. 19-164, which requires New Jersey gun dealers to make available for sale at least one gun from the State’s personalized handgun roster, PHAC is responsible for developing a list of available smart guns.
New Jersey's Personalized Handgun Authorization Commission (PHAC) comprises members appointed by the Governor, including representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization advocating for Second Amendment rights, and another representative against handgun violence.
These advancements in gun safety and personalization emphasize the challenges faced by New Jersey officials in the struggle between the violence of unauthorized firearm use and the public's fervor for second amendment rights.
