Connecticut lawmakers approved bipartisan gun legislation early April 4 that calls for new restrictions on guns and ammunition magazines, new school security measures and additional mental health provisions.
Senate passed the bill 26-10 April 3 and house representatives approved the legislation early the next day. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is scheduled to sign the bill into law at noon on April 4.
The bill includes universal background checks on firearm sales, expanded bans on assault weapons and the sale of large-capacity magazines and the creation of a dangerous-weapon offender registry, among other provisions.
An additional 100 gun models would be added to the list of banned assault weapons and the sale of ammunition magazines would be limited to those that can hold 10 or fewer rounds.
“I have been clear for weeks that a ban on the possession and sale of high-capacity magazines is an important part of our effort to prevent gun violence ”“ simply banning their sale moving forward would not be an effective solution,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said in a statement April 1. “We cannot lose sight of our ultimate goal ”“ improving public safety for all of our residents, including our children.”
A bipartisan task force comprising three working groups of state legislators drafted the bill.
During the floor session, Connecticut Democrats tweeted, “It”™s access to the weapons of war that can kill mass amounts of children or adults. That”™s the essential issue.”
Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre and discussions over gun control began, gun manufacturers have sold thousands of guns more than usual, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
The NSSF, which is based in Newtown, counts nearly every major U.S. gun manufacturer among its members. The group opposes the new legislation, citing it will do nothing to curb crime and that there isn”™t enough emphasis on mental health issues, said Jake McGuigan, NSSF government-relations director.
Last month gun sales increased 26 percent year over year, McGuigan said. And in just the two days before the legislation was signed, more than 2,000 modern sporting rifles were sold.
Employees at Stamford Tactical L.L.C. were hesitant to say how many more guns than usual were sold at the store last week, but said customers weren”™t just buying guns that would be banned in the future. At 5 p.m. April 3, a steady stream of customers was coming into the store and the phone wait time to register guns was at four and a half hours. One customer said it normally takes 15 minutes to get through.
With the stricter laws, McGuigan said it was likely gun manufacturers would consider leaving the state, especially those that would be making banned products, though they would be allowed to under the law. McGuigan said some customers have told Connecticut gun manufacturers that they won”™t buy from them as long as they”™re headquartered in an “anti-gun” state.
“It”™s very hypocritical of this legislature and this governor to exempt manufacturing in the state, but ban the civilian product,” he said. “If they think they”™re doing the right thing, why would you allow manufacturing in the state?”
Some of the largest gun manufacturers in the country call Connecticut home, including Colt”™s Manufacturing Co. L.L.C., O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc. and Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. Industry representatives said they contribute $1.3 billion annually to the state”™s economy.
This new law is so absurd it is hard to know where to begin. CT pols are slapping each other on the back for bipartisanship. Well this exercise in bipartisanship has produced a feel-good law that will do absolutely nothing to reduce violent crime. Pols will take a victory lap and the uninformed will go back to watching Dancing with the Stars, thinking their wonderful representatives have protected them.
This bill is supposed to reduce violent crime. It can’t possibly do that. The vast majority of homicides occurs in urban street gangs. Most if not all mass shooting are done by people who have mental conditions that make them prone to violence and are taking SSRI drugs that can make them aggressive and suicidal.
So how are laws aimed at legal gun owners going to reduce violent crime in youth gangs and the dangerously mentally ill?
The whole thing is an absurd sham.
Proponents are boasting that they have enacted one of the strongest antigun laws in the country. What a stupid boast. Chicago, D.C. and NYC virtually ban guns entirely, yet they have the highest murder rates in the nation. But places where legal gun ownership is high, crime is much lower because, by their own admission, criminals are much more afraid of the armed citizen than they are of the police. So, CT, pat yourself on the back. You’ve just done the opposite of what will make you safer.