NJ Senate Overrides Its First Christie Veto

By David Madden

TRENTON, N.J., (CBS) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has boldly claimed Democrats in the state legislature have never overridden one of his vetoes.

Not anymore.

The state senate voted Thursday  to overturn a conditional veto of a mental health bill affecting gun ownership in the Garden State.

Three Republicans sided with Democrats in favor of a measure requiring law enforcement be informed when a prospective gun buyer seeks to have their mental health records cleared. Ocean County's Chris Conners was one of them.

"You've got three votes for an override on this side of the aisle," he said to colleagues during a raucous 40 minute debate on the question. "It's done with. Let's vote and let's move on."

The original bill unanimously passed both houses only to get a thumbs down from Christie who called it a "patchwork approach" to addressing concerns about the mentally ill getting guns.

The 27-12 vote was the bare minimum needed for the override in the Senate, and the question is not yet settled. Democrats in the Assembly would need 6 Republicans to give them the 54 votes needed to override. A vote there is unlikely before next month's general elections.

Senate President Steve Sweeney spoke with KYW Newsradio after the override vote, and praised Republicans who crossed the aisle on what he termed a "simple bill".

"There are people that we need to protect them from themselves," Sweeney said, " and to veto a bill that would help people like that is obviously not in New Jersey's best interests."

During the senate debate, each side accused the other of playing politics.  Christie in his run for President. Sweeney in his likely run for Governor. Ironically, one of the Republicans voting in favor of the override, Red Bank State Senator Joe Kyrillos, is a longtime friend and ally of Governor Christie. But Kyrillos is quietly backing former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, not Christie, for the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination.