New Jersey A 2871: Clarifies that law enforcement officers employed by educational institutions may possess firearms on campus.

Bill Text

A2871 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2871 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman DePhillips, Assemblywoman Fantasia, Assemblymen 
Inganamort and Auth

SYNOPSIS

���� Clarifies that law enforcement officers employed by 
educational institutions may possess firearms on campus.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning law enforcement and amending N.J.S.2C:39-5.� 

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� N.J.S.2C:39-5 is amended 
to read as follows:� 

���� 2C:39-5.� Unlawful possession 
of weapons.� a.� Machine guns. Any person who knowingly has in his possession a 
machine gun or any instrument or device adaptable for use as a machine gun, 
without being licensed to do so as provided in N.J.S.2C:58-5, is guilty of a 
crime of the second degree.

���� b.��� Handguns.� (1) Any 
person who knowingly has in his possession any handgun, including any antique 
handgun, without first having obtained a permit to carry the same as provided 
in N.J.S.2C:58-4, is guilty of a crime of the second degree. (2) If the handgun 
is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a 
similar nature in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon 
dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited 
by compressed air, and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths 
of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person it is a crime 
of the third degree.

���� c.���� Rifles and shotguns.� 
(1) Any person who knowingly has in his possession any rifle or shotgun without 
having first obtained a firearms purchaser identification card in accordance 
with the provisions of N.J.S.2C:58-3, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

���� (2)�� Unless otherwise 
permitted by law, any person who knowingly has in his possession any loaded 
rifle or shotgun is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

���� d.��� Other weapons.� Any 
person who knowingly has in his possession any other weapon under circumstances 
not manifestly appropriate for such lawful uses as it may have is guilty of a 
crime of the fourth degree.

���� e.���� Firearms or other 
weapons in educational institutions.

���� (1)�� Any person who knowingly 
has in his possession any firearm in or upon any part of the buildings or 
grounds of any school, college, university or other educational institution, 
without the written authorization of the governing officer of the institution, 
is guilty of a crime of the third degree, irrespective of whether he possesses 
a valid permit to carry the firearm or a valid firearms purchaser 
identification card. 

���� The provisions of this 
paragraph shall not prohibit a law enforcement officer who is employed by a 
school, college, university or other educational institution from possessing a 
firearm in or upon any part of the buildings or grounds of the school, college, 
university or other educational institution in the course of the officer�s 
employment or traveling to or from the officer�s place of employment.�� 

���� As used in this paragraph, 
�law enforcement officer� means a person empowered to act as an officer for the 
detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law 
and who has successfully completed a firearms training course administered by 
the Police Training Commission.� 

���� (2)�� Any person who knowingly 
possesses any weapon enumerated in paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection r. of 
N.J.S.2C:39-1 or any components which can readily be assembled into a firearm 
or other weapon enumerated in subsection r. of N.J.S.2C:39-1 or any other 
weapon under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for such lawful use as it 
may have, while in or upon any part of the buildings or grounds of any school, 
college, university or other educational institution without the written 
authorization of the governing officer of the institution is guilty of a crime 
of the fourth degree.

���� (3)�� Any person who knowingly 
has in his possession any imitation firearm in or upon any part of the 
buildings or grounds of any school, college, university or other educational 
institution, without the written authorization of the governing officer of the 
institution, or while on any school bus is a disorderly person, irrespective of 
whether he possesses a valid permit to carry a firearm or a valid firearms 
purchaser identification card.

���� f.���� Assault firearms.� Any 
person who knowingly has in his possession an assault firearm is guilty of a 
crime of the second degree except if the assault firearm is licensed pursuant 
to N.J.S.2C:58-5; registered pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1990, c.32 (C.2C:58-12); 
or rendered inoperable