Urges Congress and President of US to enact legislation addressing interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.

ACR148

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 148

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Urges Congress and President of US to enact
legislation addressing interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution
urging Congress and
the President of the United States to enact legislation addressing the
interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.

Whereas,

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution affirms the right of the
people to keep and bear arms and establishes the bedrock of federal law
concerning the possession of firearms; and

Whereas,

Despite this constitutional assurance, strict state laws have exposed
law-abiding gun owners to criminal penalties when exercising their right to
transport licensed firearms across state lines; and

Whereas,

This criminalization of law-abiding gun owners constitutes an injustice
requiring remedial federal action; and

Whereas,

Under the �Firearm Owners� Protection Act of 1986� (FOPA), a person is entitled
to transport a firearm to and from a state where it may be lawfully possessed, regardless
of that firearm�s legality in any intermediary state, provided that the firearm
is neither loaded or readily accessible during the period of transport; and

Whereas,

Notwithstanding this federal protection, individuals regularly confront legal
issues when transporting licensed firearms through states with strict gun laws;
and

Whereas,

New Jersey�s onerous gun laws contribute to the criminalization of law-abiding
citizens who have chosen to exercise their right to transport a legal firearm
through the State; and

Whereas,

For example, while flying through the Newark International Airport on a trip to
Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2005, Utah-native Greg Revell was detained for 10
days in a New Jersey jail after attempting to transport his legally-owned
firearm; and

Whereas,

After a delay caused Revell to miss a connecting flight in Newark, he was
forced to stay overnight in New Jersey before continuing to his destination;
and

Whereas,

Despite compliance with federal guidelines requiring him to store his unloaded
firearm in a locked container and inform airline personnel that his checked
luggage contained a firearm, Port Authority police officers arrested Revell for
illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition in New Jersey as he attempted to board
his departing flight; and

Whereas,

While FOPA intended to protect individuals in this situation, authorities contended
that Revell�s firearm was �readily accessible� during his overnight stay, and
therefore his actions were not protected under federal law; and

Whereas,

Although criminal charges were withdrawn months later, Revell faced the
possibility of imprisonment, despite his every attempt to comply with federal
law; and

Whereas,

That unpredictable travel events which require overnight stays, such as a
missed flight, can expose otherwise law-abiding gun owners to the possibility
of imprisonment constitutes a serious injustice that should be rectified; and

Whereas,

In response, Rep. Morgan Griffith has introduced H.R.225, which increases
protections for a person who transports a licensed firearm to and from a state
where it may be legally possessed; and

Whereas,

By amending FOPA, this bill�s provisions protect licensed gun owners who have
stored their unloaded firearm in a locked container during travel and intend to
use that firearm for lawful purposes; and

Whereas,

Most importantly, this bill expands the legal protections afforded to these
individuals by broadening the definition of �transport� to include while
�staying in temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, fuel, vehicle
maintenance, an emergency, medical treatment, or any other activity incidental
to the transport�; and

Whereas,

This provision ensures that a law-abiding gun owner, like Greg Revell, will be
protected from the possibility of imprisonment, even if an unpredictable event
were to alter his itinerary and require overnight lodging; and

Whereas,

Enactment of H.R.225 would therefore remedy a loophole in federal law that
contributes to the unjust criminalization of law-abiding citizens; now,
therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

���� 1.��� The Legislature of this
State respectfully urges Congress and the President of the United States to
enact H.R.225, which addresses the interstate transportation of firearms or
ammunition.

���� 2.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President
of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States
Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of
Representatives, and each member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

���� This concurrent resolution
urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R.225, which
addresses interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition.� In amending the
�Firearm Owners� Protection Act of 1986,� this bill provides increased legal
protection for a person who transports a licensed firearm to and from a state
where it may be legally possessed, provided that the firearm remains unloaded
and stored in a locked container.� In particular, the bill broadens the definition
of �transport� to offer legal protection for traveling gun owners during
overnight stays; medical emergencies; food, fuel, and vehicle maintenance
stops; as well as any activity incidental to transport.

���� Under current law, a
law-abiding gun owner may face imprisonment for choosing to exercise their
constitutional right to transport legal firearms through a state with strict
gun laws.� For example, despite his every attempt to comply with federal
guidelines, Greg Revell was jailed for 10 days in New Jersey after attempting
to travel through the State in 2005 with his licensed firearm.� Moreover, the
chances of unnecessary legal complications are increased when unpredictable
events, such as delayed or missed flights, disrupt a traveler�s itinerary, as
was the case with Mr. Revell.� This criminalization of law-abiding citizens is
an injustice that requires remedial federal action in the form of H.R.225.