Gov. Chris Christie Vetoes New Jersey Gun Control Bill, Requests ‘Expedited’ Gun Licenses For Domestic Abuse Victims

On November 9, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) issued a bipartisan veto on a domestic violence gun control bill backed by Gabby Giffords and subsequently called for expedited gun licenses for victims of domestic violence.

The bipartisan veto allows the legislature to make changes to the bill–as suggested by Christie–then bring the proposal back to him for reconsideration.

According to the Office of New Jersey Governor, Christie vetoed A-4218 because it “substantially restates New Jersey’s existing laws that govern firearms and domestic violence and does not offer new and sensible improvements to those current laws.” It was just more gun control for the sake of more gun control.

So Christie sent the measure back to lawmakers with three proposed amendments for their consideration.

The first two amendments deal with sentencing and parole opportunities for those found guilty of domestic violence. Christie’s approach here is that a tougher sentence and a higher threshold for parole would augment the need for enhanced gun restrictions for such individuals. Christie called on lawmakers to “[enhance] criminal penalties imposed against those who are convicted of domestic violence” and “[lengthen] periods of parole ineligibility.”

Christie’s third suggested amendment deals with getting guns into the hands of domestic violence victims quickly. He wants “an immediate codification in statute of new rules currently being processed, giving expedited processing of firearm license applications for victims of domestic violence so that the victims may better defend themselves against future instances of abuse.”

The push to expedite gun licenses comes even as the shadow of Carol Bowne’s death looms large over the New Jersey gun licensing process. An unarmed Bowne was stabbed to death in her own driveway on June 3 while waiting for the state to okay her request to own a gun for self-defense. Breitbart News reported that Bowne had a restraining order against her attacker and had applied for a gun license on April 21, yet six weeks later she remained unarmed as she waited for New Jersey to grant a gun license.

Gabby Gifford’s gun control group–Americans for Responsible Solutions–responded to Christie’s veto by expressing their that “disappointment presidential politics got in the way of this bipartisan proposal.”

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.