Assemblyman Merkt certainly gets it:

"When there is an intruder in your home, the last thing you should worry about is whether you are using excessive force," said Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, who introduced the New Jersey Self Defense Bill in January.

The self-defense law should be concerned more with protecting the rights of victims than protecting the rights of criminals, he said.

"If a burglar invades your house and gets hurt in the bargain, I don't think the law should recognize his claim," he said.

Merkt said that the Democratic-controlled state Legislature has been reluctant to post his bill for a hearing, and that New Jersey may be a long way from enacting such law.

"But this is an idea that I believe will eventually be enacted in New Jersey, because it makes sense," he said.

It may be too much common sense for New Jersey.  The usual suspects are coming of the woodwork to oppose the law and push their usual load of crap and fear.  New Jersey is gun controllers shining example of success.  Of course their metric for success is only based on how widely they infringe upon our rights and not upon how crime is actually impacted.

Dave Kopel makes a strong argument of why a stand your ground law is especially important in New Jersey.  It's about the checks and balances:

"But the experience has been that there are sometimes abusive prosecutors -- and, therefore, it's important to have very clear rules about self defense that can't be abused."

The self-defense issue, in that sense, is a matter of placing a reasonable limit on the power of prosecutors, he said.

"In New Jersey, the case for such laws is actually much stronger," he said.

"[Almost] everywhere, district attorneys and prosecutors are elected by the people. New Jersey has more of a monarchial system of government, with the governor appointing every prosecutor. This law would serve as a check and balance."

 It's a good time to contact Merkt's office and thank him for the bill.  Also, contact your assemblyman and ask for them to support Merkt's bill.