Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but I'd like to know.

 

On a side note... I expect NJ to revamp the FID before I die. Issuing a dinky paper card is outdated, I think that combining your FID onto your license would be a good idea. Just a simple 1/4" star or a small "FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION" somewhere on it would simplify things IMO.

 

I still remember my mom showing me her crusty paper pictureless drivers license when I was little. Reminds me of my current FID.

The FID and PPP system today in NJ is known as the "Sills Act" was said to have been drafted in 1965 and was signed into law 1966 , two years before the 1968 Gun Control Act. The "Sills Act" was challenged in 1968 in Burton vs Sills and allowed to stand. Illinois FOID (Firearms Owners ID) card was said to have been inspired by New Jersey's FID card. Massachusetts also adopted the FID system.

 

Other than the Burton vs Stills court challenge, there is very little information on who voted for and against the law, what was the bills exact wordage at the time, what was the public sentiment at the time, public opposition to the law and more importantly why was it written up in the first place.

 

The 1968 GCA came about after MLK and RFK assassinations. What event or events other than JFK assassination in 1963 that inspired the writing and eventual passage of the Sills Act in 1966 is unclear.

Watch this video. It explains everything.

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/5fC2iu3CTPc

The FID and PPP system today in NJ is known as the "Sills Act" was said to have been drafted in 1965 and was signed into law 1966 , two years before the 1968 Gun Control Act. The "Sills Act" was challenged in 1968 in Burton vs Sills and allowed to stand. Illinois FOID (Firearms Owners ID) card was said to have been inspired by New Jersey's FID card. Massachusetts also adopted the FID system.

 

Other than the Burton vs Stills court challenge, there is very little information on who voted for and against the law, what was the bills exact wordage at the time, what was the public sentiment at the time, public opposition to the law and more importantly why was it written up in the first place.

 

The 1968 GCA came about after MLK and RFK assassinations. What event or events other than JFK assassination in 1963 that inspired the writing and eventual passage of the Sills Act in 1966 is unclear.

 

Can't say for sure, but I believe Graves (who's been dead for 20 years or so) was involved in that whole process. Anyone who remembers him, will remember he was probably the worst anti gun politician NJ ever had.

Also remember that the Criminal code and administrative codes have changed Completely at LEAST once since then, IIRC Title 2A was the criminal Code at the time the Sills act was enacted, which was supplanted by Title 2C in the early 1980's.

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but I'd like to know.

 

On a side note... I expect NJ to revamp the FID before I die. Issuing a dinky paper card is outdated, I think that combining your FID onto your license would be a good idea. Just a simple 1/4" star or a small "FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION" somewhere on it would simplify things IMO.

 

I still remember my mom showing me her crusty paper pictureless drivers license when I was little. Reminds me of my current FID.

 

Crusty? We had paper licenses back in 1980. I remember it well. it was so fancy when I had to get my picture taken.

What was the 'reason' for the Sills Act NJ GCA of 1966?

 

 

I looked at the time period around the drafting and eventual passage of the NJ Sills Gun Control Act in 1966. I looked at the riots going on throughout the U.S. and especially the NJ and NY areas. I believe the biggest riot in NJ was in Newark in 1967 however this occurred after the Sills Act had already became law.

 

http://en.wikipedia..../List_of_riots.

 

I have deleted the riots from outside the U.S., highlighted the riots in NJ and NY and mainly focused between 1964 and 1968 because the Sills Act became law in 66 and the GCA in 68.

 

As you can see, except for the Harlem (NY), Jersey City and Elizabeth riots in 1964 ..there were no riots in 1965 and 1966 in the NJ and NY area. Were the 1964 riots and the assassination of JFK in 1963 the 'reason' for the Sills Act in 1966? The biggest one, The Newark riots didn't even occur until 1967 after the Sills Act became law. It could appear that the 1964 riots and the assassination of JFK in 1963 might have been the reason.

 

 

 

# 1964 - Harlem race riot, July 18–23 (New York City, United States)

# 1964 - Rochester 1964 race riot, July 24–25 (Rochester, New York, United States)

# 1964 - Jersey City 1964 race riot,[11] August 2–4 (Jersey City, New Jersey, United States)

# 1964 - Elizabeth 1964 race riot,[11] August 11–13 (Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States)

# 1964 - Dixmoor 1964 race riot[11] August 16–17 (Chicago, Illinois, United States)

# 1964 - Philadelphia 1964 race riot August 28–30

# 1965 - Watts Riot, August 1965, (Los Angeles, California, United States)

# 1966 - Division Street Riots, June 12–14 (Humboldt Park, Chicago, United States)

# 1966 - Hough Riots, July 1966 (Cleveland, Ohio, United States)

# 1966 - Compton's Cafeteria Riot, August 1966 (San Francisco, California, United States)

# 1966 - Benton Harbor Riot, August–September 1966 (Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States)

# 1966 - Atlanta riot of 1966, Sep. 6 (Atlanta, Georgia, United States)

# 1966 - Sunset Strip curfew riots (Los Angeles, California, United States)

# 1967 - Tampa Riots of 1967, June 1967 (Tampa, Florida, United States)

# 1967 - Buffalo riot of 1967, June 27 (Buffalo, New York, United States)

# 1967 - 1967 Newark riots, July 12–18, 1967 (Newark, New Jersey, United States)

# 1967 - 1967 Plainfield riots, July 14–20, 1967 (Plainfield, New Jersey, United States)

# 1967 - 12th Street Riot, July 23–27, 1967 (Detroit, Michigan, United States)

# 1967 - Cairo riot, July 17 (Cairo, Illinois, United States)

# 1968 - 1968 Washington, D.C. riots, April 1968 (Washington, D.C., United States)

# 1968 - Baltimore riot of 1968, April 6–12 (Baltimore, Maryland, United States)

# 1968 - Chicago riot of 1968 April 7–14 (Chicago, Illinois, United States)

# 1968 - Kansas City riot of 1968, April 1968 (Kansas City, Missouri, United States)

# 1968 - Louisville riots of 1968, May 27, (Louisville, Kentucky, United States)

# 1968 - Glenville Shootout, (Cleveland, Ohio, United States)

# 1968 - 1968 Democratic National Convention riot, August 1968, (Chicago, Illinois,

 

Searching online, there seems to be a strange lack of information as to the exact wording of the law in 1966 (before the revisions), who supported and voted for it and who opposed it, what were the public comments at the time the bill was debated? What did gun stores, sporting goods stores and pro gun rights citizens do to oppose the law? Where was the NRA at the time? What was their position? While the 1968 GCA has been well covered, and there are many links to the Burton vs Sills 1968 opposition there seems to be a total absence of information and documentation of the exact details surrounding the drafting of, the voting on and the passage of The Sills Act of 1966. Why?

Crusty? We had paper licenses back in 1980. I remember it well. it was so fancy when I had to get my picture taken.

I had a 3-fold blue paper license until 1992 or so

I have compiled more detailed information on the 1966 FID act, I plan a more comprehensive write up someday here or elsewhere. Information on the the Sills Act is very difficult to come by. I have found a good source that explained what was going on at the time.

 

March 1966 American Rifleman (What The Law Makers Are Doing)

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/Library/BookPage.aspx?bid=FW0000658&sid=183754&pid=1

Assembly Bill 165 by Maurice V. Brady....."Prohibits the sale and purchase of firearms in certain cases, prescribes standards for dealer registration, obtaining permits and identification cards"

 

April 1966 American Rifleman -Senate Bill 232 by Ned Parsekian (same as Assembly Bill 165)

 

July 1966 American Rifleman

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/Library/BookPage.aspx?bid=FW0000662&sid=183755&pid=91

Assembly Bill 165 called the "Sills Bill" after Arthur Sills the AG of NJ was signed into law by Gov Hughes on June 3 1966. The bill was passed 34-23 May 16. In the Senate 16-12. The reason behind the passage of the law and the 'bipartisan effort' was due to a fatal shooting of a NJ trooper by an out of state ex-convict. Opposition to the bill was by shooters, hunters and firearms enthusiasts. The same disqualifications that appear today for the FID appeared then as well with the additional disqualification is if a person was a member of a 'subversive' group. Interestingly those under 18 could qualify for the card with permission of the guardian and passed a hunter safety course.

 

 

September 1966 American Rifleman

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/Library/BookPage.aspx?bid=FW0000664&sid=183754&pid=1

"The new firearms laws was going to take effect August 02. The Citizens for Firearms legislation and others filed suit against the law on July 22 and a temp restraining order on July 25 which postponed the effective date of the law to Aug. 5. The restraining order was lifted July 29 by application of the Attorney General. Argument for permanent injunction Aug 05 but extended to Aug 11."

 

August 11 1966 Judge Milton B. Conford rules that "the balance of public convenience is not for interference of enforcement of this statute" . The next day, August 12 1966, the law took effect.

 

In the December 1966 American Rifleman Page 17, there was a comprehensive write up on the NJ law. The article is called "Strangulation By Law In New Jersey" by Ashley Halsey Jr. If you have a chance to read the whole article, please do.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/Library/BookPage.aspx?bid=FW0000667&sid=183731&pid=1

 

Where was the opposition?

 

According the article, "Citizens Committee for Firearms Legislation" headed by NRA Executive Committeeman Louis A. Benton and composed of hunters, shooters, collectors and others, and by the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs Inc. The article goes on to state that Council For The Citizens Committee (State Senator William Ozzard) will argue on December 15 1966 in Superior Court that the whole law should be thrown out because it violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms and interferes with interstate commerce.

 

The ACLU was opposed to the law as well! A separate suit was filed in Freehold, the county chairman of the ACLU contended the law violates the Fifth Amendment by requiring applicants for firearms permits to state whether they belonged to so called subversive organizations. The suit was thrown out.

 

Also opposing the new law were firearms dealers and they complained that their 'sales have slumped and some were laying off clerks'... (Since this was before the 1968 GCA comes this very telling part)...."In addition, roadside stands had been set up in nearby states to serve New Jersey buyers". So NJ residents could just travel and bypass the FID law, that is until the 1968 GCA.

 

There was yet another challenge to the law in Burton Vs Sills and in 1968 the law was allowed to stand. I don't know why this information wasn't more easily found on the internet. The law affected a lot of people, not just the residents of NJ. But also those who have visited the State or just passed through it. The law inspired Illinois to pass its FOID law as well as Massachusetts with its own FID law. It was two more years before the 1968 GCA would have been signed into law. Despite the opposition...the politicians won and the law abiding people lost.

 

More research is needed to see if there were any attempts to challenge the Sills Act of 1966 after the unsuccessful Burton vs Stills challenge. I suppose one good argument for repealing the Sills Act would have been the passage of the 1968 Gun Control Act and replacing the Sills Act and using the 1968 GCA as New Jersey's primary firearms law.