In 2022, New Jersey enacted a law¹ requiring the Attorney General to determine the commercial viability of microstamping-enabled firearms. Once the Attorney General determines that a microstamping-enabled firearm exists for retail sale, the office must create a microstamp roster, which must include each firearm designated as microstamping-enabled. The roster will be updated as necessary and published on a website maintained by the State Police. A copy of the roster shall be made available every six months to licensed retail firearms dealers.

Upon certification that microstamping-enabled firearms are commercially available, each licensed retail dealer of firearms shall:

• Make available for purchase at least one firearm included on the roster of microstamping-enabled firearms and display the firearm in a conspicuous manner that makes it easily visible to customers and distinguishable from traditional firearms;
• Post in one or more locations in the licensed retail dealer’s place or places of business in a conspicuous manner that makes them easily visible and accessible to customers:
  • Copies of the microstamp roster; and
  • A sign that includes a clear and conspicuous statement disclosing the features of microstamping-enabled firearms that are not offered by traditional firearms and advising customers that such firearms may be purchased through the licensed retail dealer;
• Accept and process orders to enable customers to purchase through the licensed retail dealer any firearms included on the microstamp roster;
• Refrain from claiming that any firearm is a microstamping-enabled firearm if that firearm is not included on the microstamp roster; and
• In the event that the licensed retail dealer’s inventory of firearms included on the microstamp roster is depleted:
  • Place an order for at least one firearm on the microstamp roster within 21 days of the sale of the last firearm on the microstamp roster;
    
  • Maintain written records of the licensed retail dealer’s efforts to place an order and maintain those records on the premises and allow them to be open for inspection at all times; and
  • Post a sign on the premises indicating that microstamping-enabled firearms are sold routinely on the licensed retail dealer’s premises and will soon be available for purchase.

If at least one firearm is listed on the microstamp roster, the Superintendent of State Police shall designate officers to inspect the microstamping-enabled firearm inventory and records of all licensed retail dealers of firearms to determine whether a licensed retail dealer is in compliance with the requirements. The inspections shall be conducted at least once every two years at any time during the normal business hours of the licensed retail dealer’s place of business.

Whenever a law enforcement agency seizes or recovers a firearm that was abandoned or discarded, unlawfully possessed, used for any unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, or is reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime, the agency must arrange for the firearm to be test-fired and the ballistics information must be submitted to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (NIBIN).²

Whenever a law enforcement agency recovers any spent shell casing at a crime scene or has reason to believe that the recovered spent shell casing is related to or associated with the commission of a crime or the unlawful discharge of a firearm, the agency must submit the ballistics information to NIBIN.³

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1. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:58-2.13.[↩]
2. N.J. Stat. § 52:17B-9.19.[↩]
3. Id.[↩]