When the State Legislature banned the sale and possession of assault weapons in 1990, thousands of gun owners protested with seething letters and boisterous rallies. The issue has resurfaced this spring in the form of a proposal to allow citizens to carry concealed weapons.
The proposal comes from State Senator Gerald Cardinale, a conservative Bergen County Republican who is a member of the National Rifle Association. Under the current law, New Jersey residents may carry a handgun only if they can convince a Superior Court judge that their safety depends on it. But Mr. Cardinale's proposal would allow people to carry weapons if they pass a background check and take eight hours of training. At least 28 other states have passed similar laws, many in the last few years.