The list of prohibited places continues with the following: (11) youth sports events, as defined in N.J.S.5:17-1, during and immediately preceding and following the conduct of the event, except that this provision shall not apply to participants of a youth sports event which is a firearm shooting competition to which paragraph (3) of subsection b. of section 14 of P.L.1979, c.179 (C.2C:58-6.1) applies; (12) a publicly owned or leased library or museum; (13) a shelter for the homeless, emergency shelter for the homeless, basic center shelter program, shelter for homeless or runaway youth, children’s shelter, child care shelter, shelter for victims of domestic violence, or any shelter licensed by or under the control of the Juvenile Justice Commission or the Department of Children and Families; (14) a community residence for persons with developmental disabilities, head injuries, or terminal illnesses, or any other residential setting licensed by the Department of Human Services or Department of Health; (15) a bar or restaurant where alcohol is served, and any other site or facility where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises; (16) a Class 5 Cannabis retailer or medical cannabis dispensary, including any consumption areas licensed or permitted by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission established pursuant to section 31 of P.L.2019, c.153 (C.24:6I-24);
“Youth sports event” means a competition, practice or instructional event involving one or more interscholastic sports teams or sports teams organized pursuant to a nonprofit or similar charter or which are member teams in a league organized by or affiliated with a county or municipal recreation department. Thus, a “prohibited place” is any public place where any youth sports practice is about to begin or just occurred. That could be almost any open space in public. There is also nothing obvious to alert a permit-to-carry holder that they are entering a “residential setting” licensed by the Department of Human Services or Department of Health.
While prohibiting firearms within bars and restaurants where alcohol is served appears to be more reasonable than most of these prohibitions, there is no prohibition against carrying into a restaurant where patrons can bring their own alcohol.
