---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminalizes purchase, transfer, or possession of certain weapons and ammunition by persons convicted of certain crimes; establishes crime of transferring or possessing firearm without serial number.*"
description: "Criminalizes purchase, transfer, or possession of certain weapons and ammunition by persons convicted of certain crimes; establishes crime of transferring or possessing firearm without serial number.*"
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "218"
identifier: "S 3897"
citation: "New Jersey S 3897 (218)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["CRIM PROCED", "CRIMES", "WEAPONS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Greenstein, Linda R.", "Greenwald, Louis D.", "Reynolds-Jackson, Verlina", "Weinberg, Loretta"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 9
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2019-06-03T04:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2019-07-16T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/be4ca065-b55f-4c71-a308-68181f43ee90"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "e247e789ddcb565163fa036a30d8718337f3debfc1996bbb20617a5783d2951a"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey S 3897 (218) — Criminalizes purchase, transfer, or possession of certain weapons and ammunition by persons convicted of certain crimes; establishes crime of transferring or possessing firearm without serial number.*

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S4000/3897_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S4000/3897_R1.HTM)

## Votes

- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **34–2** (pass) · upper
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **58–10** (pass) · lower
- CONCUR ASMB AMEND — **33–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Greenstein, Linda R. — primary (person)
- Greenwald, Louis D. — primary (person)
- Reynolds-Jackson, Verlina — primary (person)
- Weinberg, Loretta — primary (person)
- Jasey, Mila M. — cosponsor (person)
- McKeon, John F. — cosponsor (person)
- Ruiz, M. Teresa — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-06-03T04:00:00+00:00** Introduced, 1st Reading without Reference, 2nd Reading `introduction`
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (34-2) `passage`
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Assembly Floor Amendment Passed (Greenwald) `amendment-passage`
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A5454 (1R)
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (58-10-8) `passage`
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, 2nd Reading on Concurrence
- **2019-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (33-1) `passage`
- **2019-07-16T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2019, c.165. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/be4ca065-b55f-4c71-a308-68181f43ee90`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).