Eliminates age restriction for issuing special permits to carry handgun to retired law enforcement officers.

This bill eliminates an age restriction for retired law enforcement officers seeking special permits to carry handguns in New Jersey. Currently, certain exemptions under state law (like those for active officers) require annual firearm proficiency tests, but this bill would extend those exemptions to retired officers without imposing an age limit. It directly affects retired police officers, sheriffs, and other former law enforcement personnel who previously faced age-based barriers to carrying handguns under special permit rules. The key mechanism is amending Section 2C:39-6 of New Jersey law to remove the age requirement from the exemption criteria for retired officers. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee after introduction on January 9, 2024.