NJ AG finding on 'smart guns' - Win for NJ owners!

[Silence Dogood 468]

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2014/12/02/unusual-new-jersey-firearm-law-doesnt-apply-to-smart-gun-ag-finds/

 

 

A handgun designed to work only when paired with an accompanying wristwatch is not a “personalized gun,” according to a recent report by the New Jersey Attorney General’s office.

The determination on the Armatix iP1 pistol is bad news for gun-control groups hoping that the acting attorney general, John Jay Hoffman, would find the firearm fits the definition of a “personalized gun” under New Jersey law. Such a determination would put the state on the path to selling only guns with personalized technology within three years.

 

On the other hand, the finding last month is welcome for gun-rights groups, who feared that the law would might make handguns harder to get in the Garden State.

 

A little background: In 2002, New Jersey passed a law saying that three years after the technology becomes available to prevent a gun from being used by an unauthorized person, only handguns with  kind of technology may be sold in the state. The New Jersey law is the only one of its kind in the U.S.

 

Under the law, the New Jersey attorney general is obliged every six months to inquire as to whether such firearms are available, and report back to the governor and state legislature.

For years, the AG’s office was slow to make reports, however, and had yet to weigh in on the iP1, a gun made by German company Armatix. That gun only works when within 10 inches of an accompanying wristwatch. Gun-control groups said the firearm went on sale in both California and Maryland earlier this year.

 

In May, two groups — the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and a New Jersey chapter of the Million Mom March sued Mr. Hoffman to  force him to enforce the law, hoping he would certify the iP1 as a “personalized gun.”

But Mr. Hoffman found otherwise. Under the New Jersey law, a “personalized gun” is one which “may only be fired by an authorized or recognized user.” But that’s not the iP1, Mr. Hoffman found:

After careful consideration of the iP1′s design, we have determined that it does not satisfy the statutory definition because, as a matter of design, the pistol may be fired by a person who is not an authorized or recognized user. That is, as long as the pistol is situated within 10 inches of the enabling wristwatch, it may be fired by anyone – the authorized user or any other person who is able to pull the trigger.

Continues the report:

Situations may readily be envisioned in which an unauthorized individual gains access to the pistol in close enough proximity to the wristwatch component (by either maintaining possession of the pistol within 10 inches of the authorized user’s wrist on which he or she is wearing the watch, or by forcibly taking possession of the wristwatch), and therefore would be able to fire the weapon, despite the limiting technology. Accordingly, we are unable to conclude that the iP1 design meets all the elements of New Jersey’s statutory definition of a personalized handgun.

A spokesman for the New Jersey attorney general’s office declined to comment.

Rob Wilcox, a staff attorney for the Brady Center, said the litigation rendered what he was hoping: a report from the AG’s office. “We view this as a complete victory,” he said. “We got the attorney general to respond.”

 

Mr. Wilcox said that the next report, under the law, is due in six months. “We’ll be there, ready to provide the state information on guns and gun technology.”

[siderman 1,137]

yey for us but its not a win untill the dumbass smartgun law is repealed. Technology will get it right(wrong for us) sooner or later.

[jackandjill 683]

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander,"

Whenever its available, deploy to security detail of politicians first, then police, then military and then Citizens.

[jackandjill 683]

Oh, what a relief. Word on the street is, all those masked Thugs doing day time breakins were worried about following the smart gun law </sarcasm>

[Malsua 1,422]

I wonder if the watch is used "Pulp Fiction Style" as Christopher Walken did, if that would be personalized enough?   Granted you'd have to shoot from the hip, but it seems like a win.  Maybe everyone that buys one of these POS guns could use their watches the same way? in fact, we should all tell them to do exactly that!

[maintenanceguy 510]

This has Christie's fingerprints on it.  Ag could have easily found that this smart gun meets the requirements of the law and the new AG under Fulop or Sweeney will.   Probably a political move but I'll take it.

 

But keep in mind that the AG's interpretations aren't law.  The NJSP under the AG said that Hornandy critical defense bullets aren't hollow point.  Brian Aiken went to jail for having them.  The county prosecutors and judges don't obey the AG.  

[Newtonian 453]

This is an obvious 2016 election ploy from the large (f*t, s***r-f*t*) gun-hating p***a- e****g s*****g who is currently our governor. 

 

I don't want to insult anybody, god forbid we should respect the First Amendment as much as the Second.

 

I suggest all of you invest in Vaseline before January, 2018. The stock is sure to rise. Grease 'em up guys. Practice with large objects. It's coming. Like Dick's. 

[PK90 3,570]

... The NJSP under the AG said that Hornandy critical defense bullets aren't hollow point.  Brian Aiken went to jail for having them.

 

Aitken had Hornady Critical Defense ammo and not HPs? LINK?

[DeerSlayer 241]

Don't worry If any gun store decided to carry a personalized gun in any state, NJ gun owners would call the gun shop again relentlessly and issue death threats again lol. We're a bunch of class acts around here....

[Mr.Stu 1,916]

Aitken had Hornady Critical Defense ammo and not HPs? LINK?

It's irrelevant. Critical Defense are designed to expand more than a normal bullet which makes them dum-dums. Dum-dums are restricted by the exact same law as HP bullets.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[PK90 3,570]

It's irrelevant. Critical Defense are designed to expand more than a normal bullet which makes them dum-dums. Dum-dums are restricted by the exact same law as HP bullets.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

Not irrelevant to the quoted statement.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

2A/RKBA rights not being further eroded is not a "Win", it's status quo.  "Wins" are where rights are STRENGTHENED.

 

A "win" would be the Attorney General declaring that self defense counts as a justifiable need for carry licenses.

 

That said, I'll take that AG smart gun opinion over the alternative...

[John Boy 6]

yey for us but its not a win untill the dumbass smartgun law is repealed. Technology will get it right(wrong for us) sooner or later.

Not a chance for repeal until Loretta Weinberg is voted out of office - retires or "otherwise"

Let's count the dollars for NJ Institute of Technology to develop the personalized handgun:  Original appropriation = $500,000, next Lautenberg kicked in an additional $1,500,000 and Weinberg's Office will not disclose the total funding to date - I've inquired several times.

 

And you'd have to pry my mouth open with a crow bar, but S&W had a after market add-on to their revolvers that made it 'personalized' in about the late '80's.  My buddy has it on his revolver now and it is not intrusive or was not hard to install ... new grips were needed though

[Underdog 1,593]

Maybe the Smart Gun technology will usher in Smart Shock collar technology for all the politicians. 

 

This article was also found in Human Events:

 

NJ gun owners dodge new ‘smart gun’ regsNJ gun owners dodge new ‘smart gun’ regs