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Bill > A6210


NJ A6210

NJ A6210
Requires fees for certain firearms permit applications be deposited into General Fund rather than VCCO account.


summary

Introduced
12/08/2025
In Committee
01/06/2026
Crossed Over
12/22/2025
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026

Introduced Session

2024-2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires fees for certain firearms permit applications, such as a permit to purchase a handgun, a firearms purchaser identification card, and a permit to carry a handgun, to be deposited into the General Fund rather than the Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) account. Under current law, the application fee for a permit to purchase a handgun is $25, and the application fee for a firearms purchaser identification card is $50. Both applications are to be forwarded to the appropriate licensing authority, such as the Superintendent of State Police, the chief of police of a municipality, or a judge of the Superior Court. All fees paid to the superintendent are to be paid to the State Treasury for deposit into the VCCO account. Under the provisions of this bill, fees paid to the superintendent are to be deposited into the General Fund instead of the VCCO account. Similarly, under current law, the application fee for the permit to carry a handgun is $200. An application is to be submitted to the chief of police of a municipality or the superintendent in certain circumstances. In the case of an application made to the municipal police chief, $150 of the fee is retained by the municipality, and the remaining $50 is forwarded to the superintendent. Under this bill, all application fees submitted to the superintendent are to be deposited into the General Fund instead of the VCCO account. This bill is in response to a recent decision by the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals which held that dedicating funds to the VCCO from certain firearm fees may violate the second amendment of the United States Constitution.

AI Summary

This bill modifies how fees from certain firearms permit applications are handled in New Jersey. Currently, fees for permits to purchase a handgun ($25), firearms purchaser identification cards ($50), and permits to carry a handgun ($200) are deposited into the Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) account. The bill changes this requirement so that all such fees paid to the superintendent will instead be deposited into the General Fund of the state treasury. This change comes in response to a recent United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision that suggested dedicating funds from firearm-related fees to the VCCO might potentially violate the Second Amendment. For handgun carry permits submitted to a municipal police chief, $150 of the $200 fee will still be retained by the municipality, with the remaining $50 forwarded to the state. The bill makes corresponding technical amendments to two sections of New Jersey statutes (N.J.S.2C:58-3 and N.J.S.2C:58-4) to reflect this fee disposition change and takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (on 01/06/2026)

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