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A 5964

Relates to health care proxy information on driver's licenses

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Harry Bronson and 2 co-sponsors

Mandates monthly, public reporting of firearm licensing data by NJ law enforcement to the Attorney General, retroactive to 6/23/2022, to assess disparities and ensure accountability

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Bill Summary · A 5964

Summary of New York/New Jersey Bill A 5964 (Introduced 2025)

Note on title vs. text: The bill’s title references health care proxy information on driver's licenses, but the introduced text provided here concerns firearm licensing data reporting and related constitutional considerations. The summary below focuses on the bill’s actual introduced content as provided.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill establishes a framework for transparency and data collection related to firearm licensing in New Jersey. It aims to:
    • Limit licensing decisions to standards aligned with historical analogues (per Bruen framework discussed in the findings).
    • Require systematic reporting and public availability of licensing data to assess potential disparities and ensure accountability.

Key provisions and changes

1) Legislative findings (Section 1)
- Reiterates that post-Bruen (2022) standards require alignment of modern firearm restrictions with historical regulations.
- Cites related Supreme Court and federal cases (Rahimi, Range) to discuss temporary disarmament and rights of individuals with certain criminal histories.
- Emphasizes equal protection concerns and the potential for disparate impact on suspect classes.
- Notes prior NJ Attorney General directive (2023-02) on reporting firearm licensing data and recognizes the potential for data-driven accountability.
- Highlights concerns about subjective licensing criteria contributing to higher denial rates for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) applicants, citing independent studies.

2) Data reporting by agencies (Section 2)
- Mandates monthly data submissions from every state and local law enforcement agency to the Attorney General (AG).
- Data categories for permits and identifications (permits to carry a handgun, permits to purchase a handgun, and firearm purchaser identification cards):
- Date of application submission.
- County and municipality of submission.
- Applicant’s year of birth, race, ethnicity, and gender identity.
- Whether the application was approved or denied.
- Date of approval or denial.
- Denial reason (if applicable).
- AG obligations:
- Compile data submitted on or after June 23, 2022.
- Issue an initial report covering data from June 23, 2022 to the first date in the second month after the bill’s effective date.
- Produce monthly reports thereafter.
- Make initial and ongoing reports publicly accessible on the AG’s website.

3) Effective date (Section 3)
- The act takes effect immediately and is retroactive to June 23, 2022.

Who/what would be affected

  • State and local law enforcement agencies that issue firearm-related licenses or IDs.
  • Office of the Attorney General (responsible for data compilation and publication).
  • Law-abiding firearm license applicants (indirectly, through public reporting and potential policy scrutiny).
  • Public and researchers (through access to AG-released datasets and reports).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: July 24, 2025.
  • Legislative actions show prior referrals to Transportation and, in the introduced session, referral to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee.
  • Retroactive data requirement starts June 23, 2022; initial AG report to be issued after the bill’s effective date, with monthly reports thereafter.
  • Reports to be posted on the AG’s website for public accessibility.

Sponsors and related bills

  • Sponsors: Linda Rosenthal (primary), Harry B. Bronson (cosponsor), Donna Lupardo (cosponsor).
  • Related: Companion bill S 4836; several prior-session A bills listed as related (A 545, A 1065, A 4901, A 2898, A 1442, A 3266, A 1224).

If you intended a version addressing health care proxy information on driver’s licenses, please provide the correct text so I can prepare an aligned summary.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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